


Pacific Ocean Currents

by BaileyBuniBundles



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - The Little Mermaid Fusion, BAMF Danny, BAMF Steve McGarrett, Little Mermaid Elements, M/M, Merman Danny "Danno" Williams, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-04
Updated: 2015-04-08
Packaged: 2018-03-21 04:17:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3677151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BaileyBuniBundles/pseuds/BaileyBuniBundles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Danny has always been a merman,but when he moves to Hawaii to be close to his human daughter,he makes the mistake of crossing paths with a Navy Seal named Steve McGarrett who makes him wonder,for the first time, if he truly wants to live in the water. <br/>Making a wager with a Great White stating he can stay a human forever if he can get Steve to share true love's kiss with him in three days, he is thrust upon land having to fight for his life when things start going his way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. View From the Waves

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing a Fic that is as big as this ,so please give me as much feedback as you can! I would love to hear from all of you about all of the things that I can improve on! Thank you for taking the time to read my work and I hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> I do not own any of the characters in this work, except the extras. All rights belong to CBS television company. I am just having fun with all of the great characters and settings they have created! No copyright infringement intended!

Danny cleaned the fish bones off in the water before placing them back in his lap. He always enjoyed these moments,when the sun was just starting to rise over the edge of the skyline. Sunrises always looked the best over water, but alas that’s the only place he ever saw them from. Not that he was complaining, being half fish had always made life great. No need to worry about what humans called jobs and mortgage payments. Of what he learned from Rachel, living on land seemed extremely stressful and emotionally draining.

Letting out a sigh of relief Danny pulled the fish skeleton through his hair ,combing and slicking it back with the oils of the fishes skin he had eaten earlier and placed on the rocks surrounding the big one he was currently stretched out on. He knew that as soon as he got in the water all his effort would be wasted,but he still enjoyed looking at his reflection in the water.

He laid back and stared at the bright pink colored clouds. As tired as he was, he needed to keep swimming if he wanted to reach Honolulu by nightfall. He hated long journeys like this ,but seeing as though it was going to be a permanent change he didn’t mind swimming almost 6,000 miles to be able to see Grace,his human daughter. If it meant seeing his Gracie almost everyday, he would swim across the whole globe.

Danny took a deep breath, sitting up on the rock, his gills flaring on his neck, and dove off the rock into the crystal water.Letting his fins stretch and shimmer in the sun rays under the water, Danny turned and headed in the opposite direction of the rising sun. He knew that if he kept his back to the sun he would be heading in the right direction to Hawai’i, at least until noon.Gazing at the motley colors of blue and blonde shining in his tail, he flicked it behind him setting off through the crashing waves and coral reefs to his new home and life.

-x-

Steve pulled in front of the curb and pushed the truck into park. Turning the engine off, he sat idly, staring at the dark worn leather of the wheel. Losing his father hadn’t affected him the way he always thought it would. Instead of deep depression he thought he would experience, it was replaced by the burning rage and blinding hatred he had for Victor Hesse.

Though to Victor it was just revenge: the whole eye for an eye deal. To Steve this had hit him on a personal level, he admits he didn’t have the picture perfect relationship with his father, but he can still remember the days John McGarrett use to take him fishing at a “super secret fish finding spot.”

 

Steve turned toward the house,noticing the dulling paint, uncut grass and wild looking bushes. Getting out of the silverado, Steve moved around to the trunk, grabbing his duffle bag and throwing it over his shoulder. As he lifted the crime scene tape, Steve steeled his face looking as collected as a man who just buried his father can look. He knew crime lab wouldn’t be here until mid-afternoon to clean the house and collect their equipment.So he had to get all the information he could in that short amount of time, sighing he placed his duffle by the door, and pulled out examiners gloves from his pocket, getting to work accessing the scene in front of him.

-x-

Without any interruptions Steve found the tool box his father had left him talking about his trouble with HPD and his father's hypothesis that there was a mole in the department, along with all the other information he needed to determine Victor had someone with him using a laptop. Calling Governor Jameson he accepted her offer to start and lead the new task force of Hawai'i made up of people he had hand picked. He had figured that if he was going to track down Victor Hesse and solve the riddle that was his father’s mysterious tool box he would need as much fire power and tech he could get his hands on,plus full immunity and means did sound very tempting.

 

Once back in his truck Steve headed in the direction of the Pearl Harbor memorial already knowing who his first task force member was going to be.

-x-

After fighting the maelstrom of currents, asking two dolphins and an orca for directions, and swimming the 2,000 miles in a single day, Danny finally made it to Honolulu just in time. He swam towards the east side of the island and looked over the shore line for a hospitable place to call home. He didn't need anything too fancy and he definitely didn’t want to fight anyone for the right to call a cove home. Not that he couldn't fight, he grew up on Jersey’s shore for pete’s sake. The day’s journey had tired him out though, so he kept searching the shore.

At sunset, Danny happened upon an ocean cove right on the beach, thinking it might already be occupied because of its great location, he approached cautiously, making sure not to disturb anything residing inside. Surprisingly it looked empty except for a school or two of fish,which was great for Danny seeing as they were his main ,and pretty much only, source of protein.

Exploring his new home Danny saw that there was a house just a few feet from the beach and cove. He perched himself behind a rock straining to get a closer look. The house looked like no one had bothered to clean it in the last year. The paint was fading fast and the windows looked an odd tan color. “Certainly no one could live there,so I shouldn’t have to worry.”Danny thought turning around on the rock and slipping off.

Danny constructed a bed by gathering as much soft coral and seaweed as possible and placing it all on one of the more shallower parts of the cavern. Settling in for the night Danny let out a sigh of relief and let the more than welcome dreams of his precious daughter encompass him.

****  
  



	2. Busy Minds & Busy Bodies

Steve pulled himself up to the house, after everything that had happened that day he was truly exhausted. They had finally taken down Victor Hesse; Steve unloaded three rounds into him and watched as he dropped into the ocean, blood making a pool around him in the water. Although they didn’t recover his body HPD had assured Steve they would keep searching through the night.

So, if everything was as it should be, then why was he having trouble sleeping. He had tried everything, counting sheep, reading an old plane model book he found in his father’s study, even cleaning,disassembling and reassembling his gun! Nothing did the trick. Maybe it was the house that was keeping him from a much deserved rest.

He got up, pulling on an old t-shirt as he descended the steps and walked towards the garage to grab some cleaning supplies. Maybe some manual labor would ease his mind.Hauling out soap, some old scrub brushes, and a bucket Steve set himself to work fixing the house.

-x-

Danny awoke to the sounds of loud movement outside the cave,diving into the water. Whipping through the waves until coming up at the rocks he leaned against the night before. There was movement at the house! He could see a man walking out on the lanai with a bucket of suds and a hand brush.

“What animal would be awake at a time like this?!” Danny exclaimed.The sun was almost peaking over the horizon so it could only be about 5:00! Bewildered Danny just stared at the well built man as he climbed the ladder and scrubbed the outside base boards of the house.

This man was not only awake at 5:00 in the morning,but he was doing manual labor. One thing was sure, the human who occupied this worn down house was absolutely crazy, in Danny’s opinion. He just continued to watch stunned at the strength this one man seemed to possess, while throughout the day he scrubbed and scraped the outside of the house, mowed the lawn,cut the bushes, and dusted the whole inside of the house.

-x-

By night time that day the house looked completely new! Like someone had switched them while Danny wasn’t looking. Turns out the man’s name was Steve. Danny found out by someone calling for him around lunch time say he had brought him a “sub-sandwich”. The new man wasn't as tall as Steve but he was built the same, he had muscles but the man’s skin was darker. Danny also found out that his name was Chin. Which he thought was kinda strange seeing as that was a part of Danny’s body, right under his mouth even. Maybe part of his body was called Steve, these humans had a weird way of naming things.

Rachel didn’t explain much while they were together. She pretty much saw him as an oddity, never really getting to know Danny beyond the whole fish tail instead of legs thing. Somehow during their whole summer fling they conceived a child. Danny remembers hearing something from his grandmother about lunar eclipses and moon children. He thought she was crazy at the time,but maybe he should have listened.

No matter what Rachel said about how horrible their relationship had been Danny thought that the best thing in his life had come from it, Gracie. He didn’t care if the whole world despised him for who he was,as long as that little girl’s eyes kept shining when she thought about her Danno, he would be happy.

-x-

Steve stepped off the ladder and pulled the handkerchief out of his back pocket and wiped his dirty brow. He had finally finished his work on the house making it look just like the day he left it all those years ago, and right in time too. The radio said there was a severe storm coming there way from the south east. Although there was a storm, Steve still wanted to go for his daily swim and he had been so busy that he missed it this morning. He weighed his options as he closed all the window shutters on the house. Finally deciding to take a chance and go swim, he was a Seal after all, whatever happened he could handle it.

-x-

Danny pulled himself closer to the wall of the cavern. He could feel the storm getting stronger and the waves getting rougher.He moved towards the entrance of the cave and looked out over the water. The sky had turned pitch black only illuminated by the scattered flashes of lightning.

Turning back to return to the safety of his home, Danny saw something dive into the water out of the corner of his eye. He dove into the water and swam towards where he saw the splash wanting to get a closer look.Breaking the surface he turned and saw the dark haired man pushing through the crashing waves. Danny pushed himself to keep up with the man “For a human he is very fast!Almost as fast as me.” he thought.

Danny could feel the wave’s power and size before he saw it, his fins locked up and gills shivered. He dove under the water just in time to miss the plummeting wave. He looked up and watched as the tumble of waves continued.The invasive darkness of the ocean floor below him seemed to make his gills and fins shiver with anxiety.

Danny turned frantically searching for any sign of the man that had gotten him into this mess. He couldn’t see anything even with his enhanced vision.

-x-

The water tumbled again and slammed Steve under the waves towards the depths. Cursing Steve pushed his legs to keep fighting and return to the surface. As Steve gasped for air, taking a ragged breath, he saw the next wave coming over him and curled in on himself. He just had to endure the onslaught until the storm passed or until he could get his bearings.

This wave was different though, instead of just pushing Steve into hard wakes it seemed to pull him down toward the darkness beneath him. Steve forced his eyes open for a second, but he couldn’t react in time to avoid the coral reef. As Steve’s head collided with the jagged edge it cut a long deep gash into the side of his head,causing his eyes rolled into the back of his head and made his body slump into unconsciousness.His life in the hands of the currents.

-x-

Danny watched as Steve crashed into the coral structure. Flicking his tail as fast as he could, he swam toward the human. He pulled Steve up or at least tried to, the man weighed so much for someone who was only a bit more built than Danny, but he was a lot taller. Heaving the man by his waist,Danny swam under him and moved the man’s arms around his neck, kicking his fin fast aimed toward the surface. He had to get the human out of the water and on the shore before he drowned.

Pulling him along Danny broke the surface and let the man float momentary while he made sure he was breathing. Steve coughed a little bit of water and regained a steady breath pattern but he still wasn’t conscious ,so Danny could take him to the shore safely but he would have to swim fast.He didn’t want Steve waking up and realizing that the man that was carrying him back to the shore had his legs swallowed by a fish.

Forcing his fins to push through the water, Danny swam towards the house Steve occupied, keeping the man’s head above the wake.Thankfully, the storm had passed,leaving only a slight shower which helped ease Danny’s senses. There was just something about the feel of fresh water rhythmically hitting his scales that relaxed Danny. The whole swim back to the shore Danny kept racking his brain for a reason why he risked his life to save this human.Looking over his shoulder to make sure he was okay, Danny noticed that there were bags under his eyes and his face looked distant like even unconscious he didn’t want to be too trusting. Danny pushed the warm feeling of being so close to the man he had spent the last week watching from his rocks down and focussed on flipping his tail faster. Danny did not have a ‘crush’.

Pulling the huge man on the shore was a much bigger task than Danny expected. He huffed as he tried to pull the man farther up on the sand away from the rising tide. “I see why humans like their legs so much, they would come in handy right about now!” Danny said as he continued to push Steve through the sand and closer to the house.

He threw himself onto the sand to catch his breath laying down flat,enjoying the feel of cool sand against his mix of blonde and blue scales. He shifted onto his side making sure Steve was still okay and breathing, and not paying attention the his wide built chest and intricate tattoos on his shoulders. “He isn’t hard on the eyes I’ll give him that ,but its a wonder he’s survived this long.” Danny said mostly to himself.

Steve tossed and turned as he heard a voice next to him, trying to sit up,but the pounding headache in his skull told him to stay still and let his body rest. He didn’t follow orders from himself very well.Disregarding his senses Steve sat up and rubbed the salt crusting his eyes, opening them to the dark moonlit beach. As he tried to get a sense of where he was, he looked out at the ocean and saw as a huge tail fin attached to a man’s torso flipped into the water disappearing into the dark waves. He couldn’t believe his eyes, trying to get up and investigate it, to make sense of it but his body could not handle anymore exertion and Steve collapsed back on the sand to recover under the stretch of tree limbs covering his view of the star scattered sky.

-x-

Steve awoke to the sound of his name and his shoulders being shaken.He opened his eyes and instantly bolted upright ready for anything. He turned to see Chin and Kono standing over him worry written on their face. “What are you both doing here?”Steve asked easing himself up onto his legs groaning as his muscles stretched and ached.

“We came looking for you!You didn’t answer your phone when either of us called,last night or this morning,so we got worried.What happened to you brah?” Kono asked worry evident in her voice.

“I don’t know.I was out swimming and the storm got worse while I was out there and I tried to fight it and make it back to shore,but I hit my head on the rocks when a huge wave pulled my under,” Steve rubbed his hand over the throbbing knot on the side of his skull, he didn’t need to see it to know that it was bruised badly. He also felt the rough gouge right above his eyebrow which had clotted with the sand and blood, he would have to clean that out thoroughly.  “...and when I woke up I was here on the beach and there was…”Steve trailed off, thinking back to last night.

He knew what he saw, it was a tail attached to a man,but that was impossible. He remembered a girl in elementary telling him all about mermaids and how they were real even though every adult told her they weren’t real. That’s all Steve thought they were, folk lore. Stories to caution children not to swim too far away from the shore.

“What is it Steve?” Chin asked holding on to his shoulder when Steve started to waver,his legs starting to give out on him,still not completely recovered.

“It was nothing,just my mind playing tricks on me,probably from the lack of oxygen.”Steve mumbled wanting nothing more than to go inside and sleep in an actual bed.

“Well, it doesn’t matter, I’m just glad you’re okay.Can you remember how you got to the shore?Because the currents would have been so strong last night that even for a Navy Seal like yourself it would have been impossible!” Kono asked as she helped Chin support Steve inside to get some much needed water and out of the sun. Thankfully the place he was laying on the sand was shaded by trees so the sun hadn’t burned him too badly.

“I can’t remember, I think I recall being on someones back as they swam, they were extremely muscular so most likely a male, and them dragging me onto the shore, but that’s about it.” Steve said as he sat down at the kitchen table graciously accepting Chin’s offer of a glass of water.

“Steve,” Kono said quietly “That can’t be what happened, it’s impossible for a human being to swim through those currents,”

“I know that Kono,” Steve snapped looking at her with an exhaustion induced hatred. Did she not understand that he had been racking his brain this whole time of what the hell had happened and even who or what had saved him in that storm.

Chin looked at Kono and just shook his head telling her to not take it personally, the man had had a horrible night that he couldn’t even remember to help them make sense of the whole thing.

“I’m sorry Kono, i shouldn’t have snapped I just..”Steve rubbed his forehead trying to will away the migraine he could feel coming on.  “It was probably just my head playing tricks on me and someone that just happened to be there at the right time and put me on the closest shore.” Even as the words left Steve’s mouth he didn’t believe them. It sounded too lucky and with Steve’s track record it wouldn’t make much sense for luck to take an interest in him now.

“I’m gonna head upstairs, take some advil,clean out this wound,seal it up and then go to bed,it’s Saturday so I will see you both on Monday bright and early,” Steve grumbled as he pulled himself out the chair and started to climb the stairs when Chin held his arm stopping him.

“I don’t know if that’s good idea brah, why don’t you let us take you to a doctor just so that they can look at your head. To make sure you’re okay,” Chin turned Steve to look at him hoping the man would listen to reason but he wouldn’t hold his breath. Of course Steve wasn’t the sanest man on Hawaii to begin with.

“I said I’m fine, I just need some rest,” Steve pulled his arm out of Chin’s grasp. “I know exactly where I am and what the date is so i don’t have a concussion,and I’ve dressed enough wounds to know how to deal with a cut, so thanks for finding me and all the help,but I can take it from here,”

Chin looked apprehensive but nodded and motioned for Kono to follow him towards the door.

“Take care of yourself and call us if you need anything,Anything!” Kono called behind her sternly as she exited the front door Chin was holding.Steve waved his hand, shooing her off and headed into the bathroom to clean out and bandage his cut.

Steve collapsed onto the huge bed feeling uneasy as he stared at the ceiling. The bed felt too big,like too much room for just one person.

Steve turned over pulling his shirt off and hanging it over the headboard. He shook three tablets of Advil onto his hand and placed the bottle back on the bedstand. Finishing the glass of water Chin gave him, he laid back onto the worn mattress and fell into a deep sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well there we go! Finally things are picking up! Next chapter they finally exchanged words!! If Steve can act like an actual human being that is.


	3. An Unexpected Fish in a Net

Danny swam in circles as he wrung his hands. He didn’t know if Steve was okay or if he saw him in dive into and was on his way to get a team out into the water to find Danny and haul him off somewhere.He shook himself in an effort to rid himself of the worry. Mermen didn’t fret over humans especially humans who are stupid enough to go for a leisurely swim in the middle of a horrible storm. Danny slicked his hand over his hair, a nervous habit he picked up in Jersey, which immediately puffed back up in the flow of the water.

He didn’t know if it was safe to live here anymore,what if Steve was someone bad that was going to steal Danny and put him in a glass tank on show for everyone to watch and take pictures of. He knew that he wasn’t suppose to interact with humans,but he couldn’t just let him drown,even if he was stupid enough to think he could handle such treacherous waves.

Danny turned finally giving up on pacing and look out of the opening of the cave.It wasn’t his responsebility to make sure the man named Steve didn’t get himself hurt in his reckless escapades. Then why did Danny feel the need to watch over him and protect him?

“He is very handsome for a human. Plus, if he could keep up with me in the water he must be the strongest human in the world!” Danny exclaimed as he moved forward underwater looking for a snack to curb his appetite until dinner.

“I wonder if Steve is okay?”Danny thought as he approached a school of Bicolor Bassett weaving between the coral “He did hit his head pretty hard on that rock and take in quite a lot of water,”

“Maybe he is better than those horrible scientists mom and pop told me about as a kid,” Danny whipped around the pastel colored fish and caught one in his mouth using his sharp teeth to keep it from thrashing.

He swam up toward the surface to feel the sun in its last 2 hours,and pulled the Basslet out of his mouth, retracting the second row of sharp serrated teeth,which were only used for hunting,fighting,and a show of dominance, back into his gums. He was so focussed on the scales on the fish and how he was going to eat such a big portion, he didn’t see the fisherman’s net racing towards him.

His heart raced as he was swept off his fins and immediately tangled in the jumbled of criss cross rope. His eyes were frantic trying to see where the net ended so that he could escape. There seemed to be an ending above the surface, but he couldn’t reach it without showing himself to the crew on the boat currently pulling their fishing lines in. He couldn’t see any other option and with time running out he extended his razor sharp fins on his forearms to cut the rope pulling the whole net up.

He readied himself and whipped his tail as best he could in the rapidly confining net.Pushing his body upwards he threw himself out of the water and spotted the rope,connecting his fore-fin with the strong cord ripping it apart.He could hear the yells of surprise and shouts of distress from the men on the boat as he fell back into the water,and unfortunately the net also.

As his instincts took over,his body shot itself in the opposite direction of the fishing boat,taking the net with him,surrounding his body. As he swam,the net dug into his tail and upper body causing it to scrape and pull scales off. Wincing, Danny finally had to force his body to stop and assess the damage to his tail and chest.

He looked over his shoulder and was far enough now that he couldn’t see the boat anymore and he was closer to the shore.As he swam to the surface to find out where he was exactly, he could feel the net twisting harder on his body,breaking skin and scales.As much as he struggled he couldn’t get the net to budge,it just seemed to dig deeper into his torso and fins.

Danny breathed deeply when he broke the surface searching around himself frantically. As his eyes adjusted to the change in light he noticed the sun was setting and fast. Turning quickly he looked to the shore, recognizing the house as Steve’s. If he could just get to the shore he could find his cove and try to get the net off by using his sharp teeth. As he swam toward the sandy beach his body started to shut down.After all the exertion,and the net cutting into him, his body was giving up and he needed to find a safe place to rest and the only way his body would heal itself was while it was on dry land.

His cave was too far and the beach seemed to be the only option.Danny tried to fight his body moving toward the shore, but even his mind was telling him to just follow and give in. Pulling his body up on the sand,the waves helping to push his body further up, Danny collapsed and winced as he looked down at his body caught and mangled in the fish net. He was starting to bleed but his healing was faster than humans, so if net stayed in the wounds while he healed it would close up with the net in it. Which would be twice as painful to take the netting out.

Starting to let the worry get to him,Danny struggled harder,but it only seemed to make the net tighter. He tried to get his mouth around one of the ropes to try to cut them with his back row of serrated teeth, but with the position he was in he couldn’t reach them. He needed to find a way out of the net and get a quick bit of rest on the shore before he could go back into the ocean and try to find a rock sharp enough that if he rubbed against it it would cut the rope.

Seeing as though it was night no one should come out onto the beach. Danny held onto that hope as he continued to writhe on the sand with the off chance the rope would loosen.

-x-

 

Pulling his legs over the side of the bed,Steve put his head in his hands glad that the rest in his real bed had subsided his migraine and the swelling on the side of his head had gone down.

He walked over to the bathroom and pulled out the ointment he recieved from the doctor the last time his face had taken a nasty hit,rubbing it on the knot on his head.It was still discolored, but not as badly as it was twelve hours ago.He knew the ointment would help and the advil kept the swelling to a minimum.He also removed the bandages covering the gash just above his eyebrow noticing that it wasn’t infected just a deep cut which would heal with time and clean bandages which he put on clinicaly

Getting dressed into his most comfortable pair of cargos,dark blue shirt,and combat boots,Steve walked downstairs towards the kitchen wanting badly to fill his empty stomach.

In the kitchen, His eyes focussed on the styrofoam take out box sitting on the butcher block.Pulling off the paper note Steve read Kono’s scribbled writing.

Hey boss,

Thought you might be hungry when you woke up

from your “nap” so I stopped by an old shrimp place

Chin said your dad liked to get and picked you up

some shrimp fried rice! It might be a little cold by the

time you get to it. When I checked on you,you were

out cold!

Hope it helps!

                         -Kono! (and Chin)

Steve smiled at the gesture and grabbed a bowl from the cabinet,putting a heavy serving into the bowl. He placed the rice and shrimp into the microwave and pressed the 2 button.Wrapping the leftovers back up in the box he placed it in the almost bare fridge,reminding him he would need to go grocery shopping.

Straightening himself back up he leaned on the sink waiting for the rice to be ready. He lifted his head up and stared out over the lanai and to the reflection of the moon on the waves. Noticing something on the beach Steve pulled the curtain back wanting a better look. It looked like a man pulling himself up on the sand and he looked to be struggling. From what Steve could see he seemed to be caught in something!

Navy instincts kicking in,Steve rushed through the house and out the back door, the beeping of the microwave following him. He bounded towards the shore watching as the man turned toward him and started struggling harder almost like he was trying to get away from Steve.

“Hey!Wait!Man are you okay!?” Steve yelled. He reached the blonde man and fell to his knees.

He met the other man’s eyes and saw untamed fear and pain swirling like dark orbs in crystal blue shards. Tearing his gaze away from the blonde’s eyes,he ran his sight down his neck, noticing flaring gills blowing huge gusts of air down Steve’s arms where he held the shorter man.

His eyes widened as he saw the skin torso of a man change into the scales of a fish’s tail and fan out into a huge fin at the very bottom with matching fins on the man’s hips and forearms,but a smaller size and narrower.

He didn’t believe his eyes, that girl in elementary school,all the folklore,and what he saw last night, it was all true! He instantly reached for his pocket and pulled out his knife,flicking it open.The merman started to writhe uncontrollably out of Steve’s arms and onto the sand. The merman pulled his tail out from underneath him and smacked Steve across the face sending him staggering back onto his ass.

Pulling his hand up to rub at the damage, he looked back at the merman who had a smug grin on his face.Steve lunged forward pinning him down the merman and using his boots to pin down massive tail. Grabbing his knife that had fallen in the sand during the whole commotion,Steve turned the man over to face him. His smug grin was immediately wiped off his face when he spotted the knife in Steve’s hand and started to writhe again,but Steve had him pinned.

“Calm down. My name Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett, I’m not going to hurt you.” Steve reassured as he showed the merman the knife in a sign of peace and slowly curved it under one of the ropes and cut it in one swift move.

Making sure not to scare the man under him again he cut the rest of the net and carefully pulled it off of him. Steve moved all the rope into one pile and put the knife back into one of his many pockets.

The man pulled himself up into a sitting position once Steve moved off of him, and brought his fingers to his mouth.He covered his fingers with saliva and brought them down onto the open scars on his tail and chest, Steve watching all the while.Steve gaped as the wounds started to close up and heal themselves,he slowly reached his hands towards one of the healing scars, looking up at the blonde head asking permission, the merman nodded not looking scared anymore just a tad bit cautious.

Running his hand over the now healed wound that only left the slightest scar, which Steve geussed would heal once back in the water,since he didn’t see any other scars on the mans chest or tail.It felt like electricity was pulsing out of the area,travelling up his arm and resting in his heart.

“Thank you for saving me,” Steve heard a voice above him say quietly. His hand stilled and his eyes went wide, he couldn’t have just heard that.Raising his gaze to meet the eyes of the aquatic man he clenched his fists ready to accept that he had finally gone mad. Looking face to face at the man he watched as he rolled his eyes and spoke “Yes, you big oaf, I can speak so lets get the whole freaking out part over with now,” He said waving his hands as a cue for Steve to start screaming.

He looked surprised when Steve just collected himself and looked completely calm. “Well okay then, it’s good to know you’re completely okay with all this,” The man said gesturing to all of his body and tail. “So, lets start over. Hello, my name is Daniel Williams but you can call me Danny.” Danny said and smiled showing off his slightly sharp teeth, not deterring Steve in the slightest. It even seemed to excite him like always he loved to be given a challenge no one thought he could overcome.

“Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett.” he said in a softer tone than before when he was asserting his dominance and control over the situation.Danny grabbed Steve’s shoulders and pulled him close, placing a kiss on each of Steve’s cheeks.Putting him back at arms length he furrowed his brows at the shocked face Steve had.

“What’s wrong? You look like you’ve never been thanked before,” Danny said grinning,but the grin slowly faded as Steve spoke.

“Well usually people just shake hands or hug.I guess I just wasn’t prepared to be kissed by a merman as a showing of gratitude,” Steve rubbed the back of his neck a small blush finding its way on his cheeks.’and quiet a hot one at that,’ Steve thought. He prided himself on being completely comfortable and confident in his sexuality,but Danny seemed to throw him completely off kilter.

Danny covered his open mouth with his hands in shock, he didn’t know that humans didn’t kiss each other to show how thankful they were,I mean thats what Rachel did!

“Oh my gosh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know! I thought that was how humans thanked each other!” Danny exclaimed a blush evident all over his face.He moved quickly towards the ocean suddenly, wanting to be away from the embarrassment of not even knowing human customs.

“Hey it’s fine! Where are you going? I’m sorry,” Steve exclaimed as Danny reached the water,running up to him Steve held onto his arm, “I didn’t mean anything by it I swear. You just caught me off guard,”

“I know and thank you for saving me,I really do appreciate it,” Danny said as Steve released his grasp on the shorter man’s arm.”But I really have to be going,” Danny shouted over his shoulder as he dove into the water and surfaced again to wave goodbye ,then swimming off into the nearby cavern.

Steve watched as Danny disappeared behind the rocks. If Danny was going to be secretive then Steve would just have to find out on his own. Or he could just corner Danny in his cave and make him answer any questions he might have, like any good Navy Seal would.

**  
**That decided Steve collected himself and the rope and walked back to the house pondering what questions he would ask his new “neighbor” Danny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was their first meeting?! I really tried to make it like the first episode so I hope it comes across that way! Thank you keeping up with my work and next chapter is on its way!


	4. A Confrontation of Sorts

Even though Danny swore that Williams didn’t sulk he was in every sense of the word sulking in his cavern. How could he have been so stupid, he knew Rachel was European,but how was he suppose to know Steve wasn’t and that kissing him would have made it uncomfortable between them.

Even though it had been a whole day since the experience, he was still replaying it in his mind, stuck with a constant blush on his cheeks.Of course, the first time he ever meets the man that pretty much has the body of a god,he screws everything up.

It was sunset and Danny had done his dinner trapping in his cave so he didn’t have to risk running into Steve. He wasn’t sure he could form a sentence without stuttering or making a complete dope of himself in his current state.

Danny’s ear twitched as he heard the sound of footfalls just outside the small opening at the back of the cavern that lead to a grass covered part of the beach with small branches hiding the only land entrance. Danny had checked it when he had first discovered the cave. It was almost impossible for someone to find it,unless they were specifically looking for it.

He dove under the water,keeping his eyes just above the wake, his forearm fins were flaring out, ready to lunge at whatever had disturbed his domain. Seeing Steve pull the branches back and step into the cave sent shock and fear through Danny.Even though he knew Steve had seen him when he entered,he spun backwards into the water and dove to the bottom of the cave,plastering himself to the side of the rocky wall.

He watched through the clear water as the tall man crossed to the opposite ledge and start to strip down to his underwear.He blushed and turned his attention towards the exit,maybe if he was quick he could still escape.

It seemed that Steve was two steps in front of Danny and had already thought of that. He dove into the water,aimed toward the opening to the cave and touched down on the seafloor,preventing Danny to leave seeing as though the entrance wasn’t that huge to begin with. Just a little bit wider and taller than Steve, leaving Danny with almost no room to swim through.

Danny crossed his arms over his chest and humphed. If he was going to be stubborn then Danny could be just as. He grinned as Steve started to release his air through his nose in bubbles.Knowing Steve couldn’t hold his breath forever Danny made himself comfortable on the sand,deciding to just wait Steve out.

-x-

Steve continued to glare daggers at Danny as he laid down on the sand in front of him. If Danny’s plan was to drown Steve, then he would have to be smarter than the average Merman.

Holding on to the remaining air in his lungs, Steve made quite the show of his “drowning”. He blew bubbles out of his mouth and let his eyes roll to the back of his head. He let his legs give out and collapsed towards the sea floor,all the while trying not to laugh.

Danny gasped and swam toward him,pulling him flush against his chest and carrying him to the surface. Pushing himself and Steve up onto the ledge,Danny put his ear to the left side of the chest above his heart. “Shit! I didn’t think you would actually fall unconscious. How stupid are you?!”

Danny heard muffled laughing over the constant heart beat and turned to face Steve who was covering his mouth but quite badly because he could hear him laughing.

“You’re one to talk. I can’t believe you actually fell for that.” Steve chuckled sitting up to face Danny. “Sorry, I couldn’t wait for you to finish your ‘freak out’ to answer my questions. I need some answers now before I can trust you. Living in my backyard and all...”

Danny was bewildered. Who did this man think he was,Poseidon? “I’m sorry,but as I remember it, when I claimed this cove there was no one living in that house.”Danny proclaimed turning his head away with a grin.

Steve became silent for a moment not wanting to bring up sensitive memories. “Well I’m living here now so I think I deserve to know about the mammal living in my backyard.” Steve pulled himself over to the edge,letting his legs hang over the side into the water only covering his ankles and feet.

Danny huffed and leaped elegantly into the water by Steve’s feet, the other man watching him attentively the whole time, half out of amazement and the other half to make sure he didn’t make a quick escape. Danny rose up to his eyes above the surface and noticed Steve quirking his eyebrow at him in question. “What? I’m more comfortable in the water,” He mumbled.

Sinking back under and taking a few breaths, to collect himself and calm his nerves, he rose back up to his shoulders and motioned with his hands to Steve.”Okay. Ask away,”Danny said,setting his tail into a comfortable sway movement to keep him above the waves.

Clearing his throat Steve leaned back,supporting himself with his arms, and set off in finding out everything he could about this new Merman.

-x-

“So, where did you get the crazy idea that kissing people on the cheeks was standard customs for humans if you have lived in the Newark Bay area for the most of your life?”Steve asked quizzically. Danny had explained that he was born in the New York bay and his parents still lived there now, but he had had to become his own fish and had moved from his parent’s cove to a new one in the Newark Bay. He loved the skyline at night and the infinite lights reflecting on the water helped keep him hidden.

“Danny sighed “When I was in New Jersey I met a girl, Rachel, she had dropped her purse off the side of Funtown Pier.I was under the planks enjoying the sights and sounds when I saw her bag fall. Being the gentlemer that I am I grabbed it off the sand and threw it back up to her.” Danny explained forlornly as he twirled his finger on the rocks above him.

“I was only a foot or so out from under the pier so I thought for sure she didn’t see me, but later that night once all the shops had closed she came to thank me. We talked all night until the sun started to rise. She thanked me again and gave me a kiss on both cheeks showing her gratitude.” Danny felt his cheeks heating up as Steve started to realize why Danny thought it was okay to kiss him.

“Well that explains it, Gosh,you could have just said that instead of blushing like a girl.”Steve laughed as Danny smacked his leg playfully.

“Sorry! I wasn’t exactly keen on explaining why I kissed a human that just moments before I thought was going to kill me.”Danny raised his voice, hoping it would make Steve understand a little better.

“Oh yeah, sorry about that,” Steve apologized rubbing the back of his neck,” I didn’t know if you spoke english, or even understood that I was trying to help you,”

Danny shrugged his shoulders, “It’s fine, and I kind of hit you with my tail so I guess we’re even.” he said laughing as Steve charged toward him.

“Oh yeah! That hurt you idiot!”Steve yelled trying to grab Danny but he had dived under and was laughing shaking the waves above him.

Letting Steve simmer down a bit, Danny came back up and chuckled “It’s not like you didn’t deserve it.You can’t just manhandle someone,merman or otherwise, on the beach and not expect a little repercussion,”

Steve shrugged kicking a little water in Danny’s direction out of spite. “Yeah, I guess I kinda did deserve it,” Danny’s face busted out into a huge smile and he motioned for Steve to lean down to his level.

“Good, so you admit that manhandling me was not a good move” Steve nodded with a smirk “Okay then, I guess I can forgive you. Hold still okay?” Steve complied as Danny used one hand to hold Steve’s head in place and put the middle and pointer finger of his other hand in his mouth, lathering them in spit. Steve gazed at Danny’s almost crystal like eyes as the blonde took the two fingers and wiped them over the knot and scar on the side of his head. It felt like when he touched Danny’s healed scars, which he noticed were completely gone, like electricity was flowing form the scar across his face,neck,and chest,resting in his heart.

Danny quickly swiped some more saliva on the cheek he had smacked with his tail seeing it had bruised a bit and knowing it was probably still sore.When he refocused on Steve’s whole face again, he noticed how close he was; If he just moved a little closer their lips would touch.Would he be soft and kind like Rachel or hard and claiming

‘Whoa!!Back up Danny! You know what happened last time you fell in love with a Human!’ his mind screamed at him and he moved away from Steve awkwardly and laughed nervously “There we go,all fixed up,” he said sinking back into the water.

“What did you just do?” Steve asked as he pulled his hand to his face and felt the stinging in his cheek disappear and the swelling went down immediately.The scar was still there but it was extremely smaller.He looked down at his reflection in the water as Danny spoke calmly.

“I healed you.Certain mermaids and men have the ability to use their saliva to heal themselves and others.Since you are human the color is still there,but it should go away tomorrow morning.You’re welcome by the way,”Danny chided proudly.

“Yeah, thanks that’s really cool,”Steve stroked the scar once before turning to Danny questioningly “Does it always feel like electricity?”

Danny looked at Steve uneasily, “It doesn’t feel like anything Steve,the normal feeling is suppose to be your skin getting pulled and pushed,”Danny had never felt anything when he has healed others before, his brother Matty for example,but when he had smoothed the saliva over Steve’s scars it had sent little sparks of electricity through his arm, taking home in his heart which started to beat faster like he had just swam a long distance

Danny decided to keep his mouth shut for once and decided to tell Steve more about the subject when he had asked around some more.

Watching the waterfall between his toes as he pulled his foot up and down out of the water,Steve eased back and continued with his questions. “So what brought you to Hawaii then? If you loved Jersey so much why come here?”Danny sank his mouth and nose under the wake mumbling something about stupid humans and their emotions.

sighing, Danny started to explain the fall out with Rachel. “Well, once the summer had started to wind down Rachel felt more distant, unlike how she was so enthralled every other day,that’s when she came to see me,through the summer. I had only heard rumors of mermaids falling in love with humans,but only a few had actually worked out seeing as how much strain there is on the relationship. It might have been my love struck heart but I truly believed we could be one of the few that made it work.”Danny’s face fell as he talked and Steve’s heart ached when he guessed where this story was headed. “Well, one day Rachel comes up to me at the pier and tells me that she is pregnant and that theres no way because she hasn’t been with anyone since Christmas. We had gotten more intimate as the Summer progressed. I told her I would visit my mom and see if she knew anything about cross-species pregnancy.

“So I head to New York and Ma’ says that her mother told her stories about moon children, Yea I know crazy right, but she says that only in an act of intense love, keep in mind it doesn’t have to be ‘true love’”Danny added scornfully, “a child can be conceived and raised a normal human child if she, until the age of five, hasn’t been touched by her mer-father or mer-mother in her home waters.”

“So Rachel freaks out when I tell her and tells me that I won’t be able to see the child or her ever again, running off. I tried to yell to her,but she was gone,” Danny ran his fingers through the soft blonde hair and looked up at Steve gauging his emotion. He had a straight face like a soldier’s being givin information about a mission, but there was hurt in his eyes like he knew how it felt to be ostracized.

“Thank Gods she came back the day after to apologize and tell Danny that she wanted to raise the child by herself and as a normal human. I respected her decision as it wasn’t my place to tell her what she should and shouldn’t do with a child she had to bear for 9 months. I only asked that she let me see the child; Even if I couldn’t touch her, I wanted to at least watch her grow up,” Danny sighed, getting tired of telling the story that he didn’t even like to think about.

Seeing the anticipation in Steve’s shoulders pushed him further though. “So, for 8 months I didn’t get to see Rachel anytime during the carrying. One day she comes to the pier again and shows me this beautiful little girl named Grace Elizabeth Williams. I was so happy that all I wanted to do was hold her and keep her as close to me as I could, but I wasn’t about to break the promise with Rachel so I gazed into those big brown eyes and forced myself to be content to just hold on to all the memories I could witness in the coming years.”

Danny wiped his eyes quickly hoping Steve didn’t see his eyes watering. “Rachel told me that when Grace started to ask about her daddy she explained that she came from a Danny, she is still young so she buys it ,but one day she will have to know the truth.” Danny laughed suddenly and looked up at Steve “You know when she was little and learning to talk Rachel said that she tried to say my name but all that came out was Danno, thats all she could say,”

Danny’s smiled started to fade as he looked at the waves with glassy eyes.”You know, all of this” Danny motioned to his huge fin below the water and the flared gills on his neck, “This has always been easy for me ,its all I’ve ever known, and I’m so happy being a merman,but that was that little girl is the only thing in my life that makes me truly wish that I could be human,”

Steve shook his head, “Danny you can’t blame yourself for this,” he said quietly holding the gaze with the shards of blue in Danny’s eyes almost forcefully telling him that it was all okay.

“ I understand that you big oaf, I just want to be there for her, through all the hard times, to be there when things go wrong and tell her that she is going to get through this,” Danny shook his head and cleared his throat trying to hold in the tears he felt trying to fall.

“That’s why I’m here in Hawaii. My little girl and Ex-mate moved here with her new money banks husband. Naturally I followed them just to get a glimpse, once every week of my Gracie playing on the beach,” Danny sighed and started to lazily swim in circles needing to move after floating and talking for so long.

“Whoa that’s a long way to go for once a week glimpses,” Steve sighed spreading his legs, so he could still see Danny.The merman launches himself between Steve’s legs on the ledge, getting close the human’s face.

“I would swim to China just to see that girl smile from the shore.” He said gruffly

“Oh I believe you, Danno.”Steve laughed, not threatened by the blonde’s bark.

Danny’s face twisted as he stared at Steve in shock. “What did you just call me?”

“Danno? What about it, I think it’s cute,” Steve said grinning like an idiot.

“Oh shut it,”Danny grumbled sinking off the ledge and into the water. Before Steve could ask another question Danny out both hands up pausing the conversation and dove under the water and swam toward the opening of the cove. Steve pulled himself up ready to dive in after him, but thought against it. Danny just spilled his heart out to Steve of course he wasn’t going to leave.

After a few minutes Steve watched as Danny crowded a school of fish into the cavern.Gazing intensely Steve gaped as he swiftly caught one in his mouth with what looked like two rows of sharp teeth.

Danny climbed onto the ledge, carefully taking the butterfly fish from his teeth and placing it on the ledge. Danny grinned at Steve’s shocked face and quickly turned away realizing that he still had his second teeth out. “Sorry about that, all that talking and heartfelt bonding made me hungry,” Danny got quick to work on the yellow fish eating the fins first. Meeting Steve’s eyes he laughed and said “Oh where are my manners? Did you want one? Rachel didn’t care for raw fish so I just assumed.”

Steve burst out laughing “I think I will have to pass this time,”

**  
**“Fine, suit yourself,” Shrugging, Danny went back to his meal, grinning as Steve made disgusted faces when Danny bit into the bones. Danny just thought it was funny that for someone who could swim like a merman, he sure didn’t eat like one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everything about Danny, Rachel and Grace's back-story made sense! Sorry if the moon child thing was a bit strange, I just read about it in a mermaid book I had as a child and it stuck with me! Hope you liked all of the personal Danny and Steve time! I had to a lot of research about fish in Hawai'i for this surprisingly lol! Next chapter will be up fast as lightning!


	5. New Ideas & Experiences

For the next few months,Steve and Danny had a rhythm going. Each morning, when Steve wasn’t called away for Five-0 duty, he and Danny would swim and most mornings it would become a race.Steve won most of them ,but Danny assured him multiple times that he had let him win.

After Steve went on a case, if he didn't go out with Chin and Kono, and sometimes Joe White,for drinks, he would bring his dinner out to the cove and eat with Danny, telling him all the criminals they had taken down that day.

The merman always yelled and scolded him when he said that he did something reckless like throw someone in a shark cage or “went in guns blazing” without backup because HPD was too slow. Danny couldn't believe that this man was so irresponsible and that he got away with all of those things.

Even though Steve assured him that nothing had happened and everyone had come out safe, except the bad guys of course. Danny was still worried that one day it would be too much for Steve to handle and he would come home with wounds that Danny couldn't heal or not come home at all.

Except with every story Steve told him, Danny wanted nothing more than to experience them for himself. To see what it felt like to run on hot asphalt, to protect those you loved by taking dangerous humans out of the equation, or to belong to a family and not sleep alone against cold rocks.

Danny wanted to stay with Steve for however long he could.The human was his only true friend in this world,he didn't want to mess it up by making any bold moves though. He did see the blush that rose on Steve’s cheeks when he licked his new wounds that appeared after some of the rougher cases so he knew that there w=had to be something mutual about this thing going on between them both.

The one thing that Danny was weary about was that he didn't know anything about human customs or how to act around people that weren't Steve. If he somehow were able to live with Steve how would he be able to take care of himself or be around Steve’s friends like Chin or Kono. Would they even accept him if they knew the truth about where he came from.

Trying to calm his thoughts, Danny rested against a coral reef waiting for Steve to get home so he could tell him about an Eel he faced off with when he was trying to eat his lunch peacefully.Maybe while Steve was away tomorrow he would go visit one of the popular coral cities and try to get some information about the possibility of any mer-people turning human.He had heard rumors of certain shark-mers dabbling in black magic and granting fishes wishes,for a price.

Danny had never seen the interest in being human at that time so he didn't look into it, but now that he had heard so many great stories from Steve about all the things you could; like saving people and the different foods you could eat.Sure, Danny loved fish,but to eat different flavors he had to swim to that water region which didn't really make the worth it for Koi or Salmon.

He also wanted to see Grace, If Danny somehow get a pair of legs he could finally hold his little girl and cherish her like he had always wanted to, the last 8 years. In the early years Danny was sure that even if he could get on shore Rachel would forbid him to be anywhere near Grace. He knew that she wouldn't risk the sanity of her own daughter,seeing a half-man half-fish in front of her and all, just for the happiness of her freak father.

****  
  


Danny pushed off the hard formation and started a leisurely swim back to his cavern knowing that since the sun was starting to set Steve would be home soon. That thought made Danny’s fins flutter in excitement and speed up his strides just a bit.

-x-

Steve pulled his truck into the driveway and pushed the gear stick into park.Grabbing the brown paper bag from the passenger seat Steve got out and walked up the path grinning. Steve had stopped at the market and picked up some fresh Tuna that was caught that morning, wanting to surprise Danny and see the look on his face when he tasted the new fish.

He was stunned when Danny had told him that he had never tried the huge fish, he said they were a lot of work to hunt for an unfinished meal. Steve vowed at that moment to be the one to find Danny a Tuna fish and serve it to Danny grilled and raw.

Steve placed the fish onto the kitchen and pulled out two plates for the fish and a long-board for himself. He grinned remembering when Danny had demanded a drink from his bottle a while back,saying that anything Steve could drink Danny could too.

The look on his face as he spit out and wiped his tongue of the “putrid” drink was priceless and Steve had nearly fallen in the water he was laughing so hard.

 

Steve laid both of the plates with fish on them on one of the tables on the lanai as he started up the grill and let out two sharp whistles over his shoulder towards the ocean.

Steve loved his time with Danny especially Danny’s crazy stories about his family and Gracie. There was something about being with Danny that made Steve happy and placed a feeling of home in his heart that had been missing for quite a while. Even though he had been getting closer to Catherine recently, it didn't feel like they actually cared about each other. Besides the “friends with benefits” they had started there wasn't anything keeping them together emotionally.

Neither of them wanted a relationship so he kept his emotions deep inside, except with Danny, and Catherine was too invested in her Navy reputation to think about how he was feeling. He could never talk to Catherine like he could Danny;Danny didn't know about his Navy Seal reputation, he only knew bits and pieces of the violence and all about the people he saved.

Danny had told him about the dangers of running into an another merman from a different clan or breed.The blonde had been in a bunch of fights in Jersey,which gained him a reputation of his own, so he wasn't surprised that Steve had the same  reluctance toward him from others for having to do the dirty work as a Seal.Every time Steve brought it up, all of the horrible thing she had done,Danny had grabbed his face and held him at eye level forcing him to listen to his reassurances that he had done all of it to keep people safe,to keep his daughter safe.

“Damn!” Steve yelled as his hands stopped cutting the fish into slices and clutched the back of his head turning towards the beach.

He spotted Danny on the shore laughing, as he tossed a similar rock Steve had felt hit his head in the air and caught it in his hand again. Steve pointed in warning and yelled “You better not throw another one Williams!”

Danny let out a challenging laugh and yelled back “Then come down here and make me Super Seal.”

Steve put the slices of grilled and raw fish onto the waiting grill and closed the lid encompassing the heat around the tender flesh.”If you say so!” Steve called as he bounded down the shore towards Danny who was frantically trying to crawl back to the water, but Steve had the advantage and was too fast with his stupid human legs.

Pinning Danny under him he grinned and blew in his face causing Danny to sputter, “Still as slow as ever Williams,”

He lifted himself off of the blonde and started to walk back to the grill to check on the fish only to feel his feet being taken out from under him by a whipping tail,falling straight onto his back only cushioned by the sand.”Didn't anyone teach you in Army school not to turn your back on a Williams,” Danny smirked as he leaned over the bigger smugly.

Steve laughed “Navy Danny! I was in the Navy!” Steve grumbled pulling himself up and onto his haunches looking over his shoulder at Danny.

“Navy Army same thing. They both make you wear those tight uniforms,” The merman laughed studying Steve’s face.

“They’re called my dress blues ,Danny, and they are an honor to wear,” he explained getting up and dusting the sand off his clothes.

“So it has nothing to do with that fact that whenever you wear them girls flock from all corners of the island to see you in it,” Danny exclaimed as Steve started walking up to the grill shaking his head.

“It’s not my fault that people find me attractive,”Steve said over his shoulder as he got to the grill opening the lid and flipping the slices with a spatula.

“Oh yes it is Super Seal,You could have gotten a size larger so that you’re not about to bust the seams around your arms and ass?” Danny called not seeing the blush that it brought to Steve’s cheeks. He didn’t try to show off his body the uniform just felt best when it wasn’t loose. Plus what was the big deal if Steve liked a little attention, it wasn’t like it was coming from the one person who mattered anyway.

Steve took the slices of fish off the grill, placing them onto a plate, and began his walk back towards the beach. “I didn’t hear an answer Steven” Danny called triumphantly while he drew in the sand with a stick.Steve just smirked as he approached.

His attention was caught elsewhere though as his nose perked up when Steve made his way next to him on the shore with a plate and beer in his hands. “What is on that plate Steve? It smells great!” Danny asked mouth starting to water.

“Meet me in the cove and maybe I’ll let you taste!” Steve threw over his shoulder as he disappeared into the brush behind the cave. Danny jumped into the water and dashed to the cave, coming up to see Steve sitting on a ledge opening his ‘long-board’ he called it and taking a long swig from it.

“So you remember a while back when you said you had never tried Tuna and I swore to be the one to get it for you, well here is me fulfilling my promise!” Steve exclaimed showing a huge plate of Ahi cut into slices of raw and grilled slices. Danny reached forward ready to sink his teeth into the soft meat only for Steve to pull the plate away. Danny’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked up at the man.

“What do you say Danno?”Steve asked innocently holding the plate just out of reach.

Danny crossed his arms and sunk down into the water,grumbling he said “Thank you for getting me Tuna and may I have some Steven?”

Steve beamed and and put the plate down to Danny’s level so he could grab a raw piece “See that wasn't so hard! And make sure to at least try one grilled piece and not just the raw cuts,” Steve ordered and watched as Danny took his first bite.

The blonde’s eyes rolled back into his head as he put the fish into his mouth letting out an almost sinful moan. Danny grabbed another piece and stuffed it down his throat, not even noticing the bright red blush spreading on Steve’s cheeks. “This is amazing! You have to make it everyday from now till I die,”

“I don’t know if my wallet can keep sustaining your appetite,” Steve laughed,trying to shake the image of Danny’s blissed out face in a quite different situation from his head, as he started on the grilled cuts of tuna.

Steve felt that familiar stiffness in his chest as he watched Danny’s excitement over each slice of the colorful fish. The constrictions in his chest had been happening ever since he met Danny. He didn’t know why he kept having such a hard time keeping his breath whenever the blonde gave him one of the brightest smiles.

“So what happened at work today? Please tell me you didn’t hang anyone off a roof again!” Danny asked snapping Steve out of his head and back to reality.

“I know I never should have told you about that,and no I didn’t. It was pretty basic, some idiot went into a bank and pointed a gun at the teller demanding all of their money. We checked his financials and it seemed he was an avid gambler but not very good.”Steve explained nonchalantly while Danny stared in amazement at his courage. “I did have to chase him down Waikiki beach though,”

“Did you get hurt?Why didn’t you just call back up?”Danny said checking Steve for any wounds or bruises,lifting the mans shirt up,”You guys do so much for the people on this island,I wish I could help people too,” Danny grumbled looking at his tail begrudgingly.

“I bet you help a lot of fish Danno,come on don’t get all upset,” Steve pleaded grabbing onto Danny’s shoulder trying to rein him back,Danny’s face just wrinkled up like he had smelled something horrible.

“What did I tell you about that?” Danny asked trying to come off as irritated that Steve kept persisting to call him the nickname,but even to him it didn’t sound sincere.

“Oh come on! I think it fits,Danno,” Steve insisted giving Danny a playful shove. The shorter man glared at Steve, slipping his last piece of tuna into his mouth.

“Yeah well I wouldn’t get too comfortable, Steven” Danny laughed gathering some water in his mouth and spraying it at the man’s face making the Steve sputter and turn disgruntled. He jumped forward and splashed water into the blonde’s face laughing as he tried to dive under the water to escape,but Steve throwing his plate to the side dove in right behind him and pinning him on the sand beneath him.

**  
**Danny pulled them both up towards the surface both taking deep breaths and laughed hoping that one day they would be able to be together on land whether it be as friends or something more,and hopefully that day would be sooner rather than later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So hopefully you forgive me for skipping time a while! for the sake of plot and your time I didn't wanna write out six months of interactions! I might do a different kind of snippet collection of all of their fluff, in and out of the water if anyone wants it but for now I'm gonna keep the plot speeding forward! next chapter we get to make a deal!


	6. A Deal is Proposed

Moving through the waves near Steve’s house was a breeze for Danny ever since he had met Steve and the man had explained all the rock formations he had experienced in his time swimming in the bay as a kid. He knew the exact path to get to Steve’s the fastest from wherever he was in the surf. He did still have some problems with pesky eels and crabs that picked fights,but he had taken it upon himself to set them straight just like Steve did on land.

Today though, he was getting out of the bay and to the busiest coral city he could find. He thought that if he asked around someone might be able to point him in the direction of the mysterious mer he had heard rumors about when he first arrived in Hawaii.

Danny had made sure to tell Steve that he was gone for a little while, making up something about wanting to see if anyone was swimming to Jersey that could deliver a message to Danny’s family,just to check in.He had already sent a fellow merman to carry the news to his family,but Steve didn’t know that.

Swimming towards the tall coral structures rising from the ocean floor.Heading towards the small vendor stands that few merpeople traded their wares for trinkets and other curious trinkets and other curious items.Danny had snagged a couple of Steve’s forks and spoons after they had finished dinner some nights ago.

He stopped in front of a young mer-girl,who seemed to have the tail of a potter’s angelfish who were known for their peaceful attitude towards other mers,who was selling starfish in small nets.

“Hello there sir,would you like to sample anything you see?” She asked kindly her hand extending a piece for him to taste.

“No thank you miss, I was actually interested in a bit of information,” Danny raised his hand that held one of the silver spoons.The merchant grabbed it quickly and stared in amazement at the glitter of the metal and how high of a price it would fetch, and he spoke again enticingly “I would be willing to pay for information on the rumors going around about a certain great white shark-mer that has been granting people’s wishes,”

The young mer’s eyes widened in fear as she dropped the spoon into Danny’s hands and quickly grabbed the net of starfish and shrieked at him hastily “I’m sorry sir,but I don’t know anything about said shark and if I did I would never speak of him to an outsider such as yourself,now good day!” The slender mer darted off as Danny called after her,but she has disappeared into a crowd of parrot fish making their way across the ocean.

Danny cursed, looking around for someone else that might know about this mysterious mer. He did get something from the conversation though; He now knew that the shark was a him,narrowing his search to about half of all white shark-mers that crossed his path.

Danny straightened himself again and headed toward a rather chatty group of middle-aged mer-woman, hoping to get at least some info about the shark.

 

-x-

 

Danny huffed and sat himself onto a soft rock to collect his thoughts.After about half a day of asking a motley collection of mer’s and fish that the most they could tell him was that the Great White shark-mer was named Wo Fat,he didn’t stay in one place too long, and that you had to be approached by one of his lackeys in order to meet him.

Danny groaned and ran his hands through his hair. How was he suppose to gather enough attention to himself so one of Wo Fat’s lackeys contacted him? This could take forever and Williams’ weren’t known for their patience.

“Why you goin’ around asking everyone questions,buck?” a rough Irish voice asked behind him. Danny’s whole body locked up and he felt the hair on his neck stand up. He swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to turn around to face the owner of the threatening voice,but was stopped by a pair of webbed hands on his broad shoulders “Don’t turn, just answer the question,” he commanded gruffly tightening his hold.

Danny took a deep breath and reluctantly answered “I just want to talk to Wo Fat about a deal, I know there is a price and I’m willing to pay it,whatever it is,”

“Okay then, follow me,” The mer’s hands lifted off of Danny pushing him off the stone. Danny regained his balance and quickly turned around to follow the mer he could now see, whose tail was a tiger shark’s. Danny felt the knot in his throat returning, thinking about the persistent rule his mother drilled into his head, never trust a shark mer. They were known for being conniving, heinous, and dangerous. They killed without reason or remorse, taking young lives and upsetting the balance of life.

Danny followed wearily and as best he could considering the speed of the shark in front of him. He hadn’t looked over his shoulder once, like he knew Danny would be there on his fins.

Danny mustered up the courage and called out, a little bit unevenly “So I never caught your name?”

The tiger let out an almost feral laugh and replied tauntingly “That’s because I never gave it,”

Danny scoffed and rolled his eyes muttering a typical under his breath. He curved around a remarkably high coral structure, remembering it from his first time swimming to the island. They were closer to the shore than he thought and if he was correct that meant Steve’s was close too. With that thought Danny’s posture became more relaxed, but still ready for anything and he called back to the shark in front of him “Well what am I suppose to tell this Wo Fat mer when I see him? Or maybe I will want to recommend you both to a friend after?”

The tiger shark sent a toothy grin over his shoulder at the other mer and replied “That won’t be likely, he doesn’t take kindly to outsiders like yourself, and you wouldn’t be able too,” He turned completely stopping in front of the blonde “Because if you tell anyone about our little agreement, I will personally cut out your tongue and send it to your family,”

Danny shuddered at the cold in his voice in front of him “Well, that’s great to know thanks!”he waved his hands around them both and to wherever they were going in front of him “Makes me feel much better about all this!”

They approached a large cave with a shrouded opening that you would have overseen completely if you weren’t specifically looking for it. They made their way to the entrance and stopped right before entering

The shark with brown slicked back hair, crested clouded eyes,and sharp features and fins turned around to face Danny and motioned for him to continue into the dark opening. “just tell him that Victor Hesse sent you, and word of advice, don’t stare at his teeth,” The Tiger Shark named Victor Hesse said warningly. Danny turned towards the surface and saw the early glimpses of sun starting to portray a wonder of colors over the water above signalling that sunset was quickly approaching. Victor put his hand on Danny’s shoulder, pulling his attention back and corralling him into the pitch black enclosure.

 

-x-

 

Steve opened the sliding door leading to the lanai and stepped out closing the door behind him. Setting down his hamburger with fries and longboard on the small table by the deck chairs, he looked towards the shore and let out two sharp whistles. He watched the waves crash consistently but there was no sight of Danny,sighing he sat down and moved to eat his dinner. He had turned down drinks with the gang on the slight chance that Danny would be home. This week had been hard on all of them, kidnapped kids always was, but they toughed it through and found the kids in an abandoned warehouse, also taking down the monster who had been keeping them there with no food or water.They had finished the paperwork and wrapped up the case late Saturday afternoon wanting to relax with beers and wings at the local bar.

It was sunset now and Danny had said he would be home either tonight or early tomorrow morning. Steve shook himself mentally, trying not to think about a certain blonde merman, and focussed on his dinner and the array of colors on the waves.

 

-x-

 

Danny cautiously entered the huge room illuminated by glowing veins that ran through the rock walls all around them and stared up at the shark mer sitting leisurely on a high throne with coral stems branching out from the base.

It wasn’t the throne or the magnitude of the cavern that made Danny stop in his tracks, it was the breed of shark the dark skinned mar was. He had never laid eyes on a Great White Shark mer before, only rumors of their massive size and the idle threats of his parents not to travel too deep into the ocean in fear of an encounter.

The mer named Wo Fat grinned menacingly at him baring his multiple rows of recently sharpened serrated teeth to the wary blonde. When the shark first spoke, Danny had to force his fins not to turn tail and escape the terrifying shark. “What do you wish for,young mer,that you would come to me willing to pay any price?” His voice seemed to echo strongly in the cavern, like he could move mountains with a whisper.

Danny decided that it would be in his best interest to forget his pride and show this shark as much respect as he could muster. He moved forward clasping his hands together and explained. “I was sent by your Tiger Shark Victor Hesse because he had heard me asking the locals about how I could find you,” The shark snickered , knowing full well what had happened at the market. He had eyes and ears all over this ocean for this precise reason.

Danny continued “I would ask you to grant my wish to be human so that I may go on land and hold my daughter for the first time and to see a man,” the last part Danny had murmured, hoping the Great White wouldn’t ask questions, but it seemed that his luck wasn’t on his side today.

“You wish to be human? A fair request,but this is no time for modesty. Yes, your daughter means the world to you, but what about this human man? Do you have feelings for him perhaps?” Wo Fat smiled wickedly knowing he had hit the nail on the head. He always had his contacts keep eyes on the new people of the island waters, making sure they weren’t going to cause him any trouble.

Danny’s eyebrows  raised in surprise, he knew that Wo Fat was cunning, knowing black magic and all, but how did he know about Steve? Even he himself didn’t know how he felt exactly. “I don’t see how that’s important, just , will you accept my offer and if so, what are your terms?” Danny asked trying to turn the conversation away from Steve and refocus on himself.

He watched tensely as Wo Fat seemed to turn the thought over in his head, weighing the gain and loss. He finally clapped his hands in front of him and rose up out of his throne, making his way to Danny “Okay, I’ve decided that your request is understandable and I will grant it, at a cost of course,” The Great White said grinning horribly. Danny steeled himself, not wanting to give away any emotion to the demands he was going to be offered, unsure if the Great White would even let him leave.

Wo Fat circled around the man sizing him up, like a predator with their soon dead prey. He would enjoy this, usually mer’s asked for certain straight forward things like to be skinny,young, or to swim faster but love he could easily manipulate.

He smirked running his tongue over the layers of his teeth hungrily, and decided to have fun with the handsome blonde. “Since I am feeling generous right this minute I will make you a wager,”

Danny scoffed, ‘so this was the guy being generous, lucky me’

“If you can get this human man,Steve ,eyes and ears remember,” Wo Fat replied to Danny’s wide eyes at the mention of the human’s name “to fall in love with you and share true love’s kiss in three day’s time then you can keep your legs and lungs for the rest of time,”Wo Fat snickered wickedly at the hope in the mer’s blue eyes “but if you get on land and Mr.Tall, Dark, and Handsome realizes that he could never love a freak such as yourself then you will be mine for the rest of time, to do with as I like, and I must tell you, I haven’t eaten merman in years,” Wo Fat let out a feral short laugh and spun in front of Danny snapping his teeth.

Taking a deep breathe, Danny assured himself once more that these past months Steve had grown fond of him and doesn’t see him like Rachel did, that he wouldn’t leave him. “Okay, I accept your wager!” Danny exclaimed smiling and overcome with excitement at the chance to see the two most important people to him, without being bound to the water.

“Excellent, now just for the legalities,” Wo Fat said conjuring a scroll with writing already on it consisting of Danny’s real name, the wager, and the time limit. He popped a feather quill into Danny’s hand and moved the scroll in front of the blonde

Taking one last self assured breath Danny clamped his eyes closed and pushed his hand forward signing his birth name onto the parchment. He released the breath he had been holding and felt the quill disappear from his hand and looked at Wo Fat as he rolled up the scroll, pointing a finger at it that sealed it with a wax crest stamp.

“Well, we thank you for your business Daniel and I will see you in three days time to claim you as my own,” Wo Fat snickered and raised his hand directly in front of Danny. The merman gasped as he felt himself moving by the will of Wo Fat’s hand. “Oh also, the best part about this enchantment is that you can’t tell anyone about it!”

Danny glared heavily at the shark and was about to shout about how that was not part of the deal,when he was suddenly propelled upward through a tunnel on the ceiling of the cave,last seeing Wo Fat waving his fingers in a goodbye.

Danny spiraled wildly trying to get his grip on something to stop his ascending, but he had stopped suddenly, looking below at the tunnel he had just come out of and noticing that he still had his tail and gills. He started to swim angrily toward the cave again when,what seemed to feel like fire spread over his tail starting at the two tips of his fins.

He grabbed the fins and whipped back when the intense blaze seemed to spread to his fingers and quickly consuming his arms. It stopped at this forearm fins and seemed to burn them away before his eyes and the pieces drifted towards the sea floor and disappeared.  

Danny yelled in pain as the flames skittered all over his tail like it was burning him alive. The fire spread through his chest and rested in his lungs burning away the muscle and aquatic tissue that filtered oxygen from the water placing it with a more mortal, human version.

Danny screamed and for the first time in his life, bubble exploded from his mouth and chased each other to the surface.Closing his mouth to keep his remaining oxygen there, Danny’s hands flew to his neck as he felt his gills burning off his skin and leaving a smooth surface in its wake.

Frantically Danny swam toward the surface, pulling and pushing his arms, clawing at the water for relief. Danny’s tail ripped in two ,the remnants burning away, revealing two tanned muscular legs and feet with all ten toes; Along with something else, about 7 inches long, that was entirely necessary.

His new legs flailed in the water as he reached the surface bursting above the wake and pulling in as much air as is new lungs could hold. Danny treaded water, letting his arms go out beside him as he looked below at his new body and was overcome with happiness. He threw his arms up and let out a shout of joy. He turned and looked around him noticing the last sliver of sunset and finally the shore.

He twisted around and started a stroke towards the shore thankful that it wasn’t too far away. He stopped and rested a bit surveying the shore and felt a face splitting smile make it’s way on his face. He threw himself forward and swam fast and strong towards the sandy shore.

 

-x-

 

Steve stood up and lifted his arms above his head stretching. He picked up his finished plate and empty beer bottle and quickly turned to the sliding door.The sun had just vanished behind the horizon signalling that it was time for humans to go indoors.

He had just slid open the door as he heard a loud voice yell “Steve!” from the shore that was distinctly Danny’s, though it sounded closer than any other time he had called to him. Steve turned, a big goofy smile on his face that quickly turned to shock as he saw Danny trying to run up the beach towards him. He quickly dropped the plate and bottle on to the sand not caring about the glass as he bounded down the sand towards him.

Steve grabbed Danny and hugged him hard,holding the blonde trying to talk but with his head in Steve’s chest it was muffled. He pulled Danny in front of him, leaving his hands on his shoulders and stared mouth open. “How-Danny what happened- how did you get-” Steve stammered as he looked down at Danny’s legs but quickly pushed his eyes back to face Danny not realizing that the man was stark naked.

Danny laughed and shook his head speaking “It’s a long story, but it doesn’t matter just come here,” One of Danny’s hands wrapped around the back of Steve’s neck and the other around the man’s waist. He pulled him down and pressed their lips together hard. It was everything that Danny had wanted but not expecting. He thought Steve would be hard and commanding but he just seemed still.

Danny pulled back and stared at Steve. His eyes were wide and his mouth still open a bit. The haze seemed to lift off Danny a little and realized their situation. He immediately let go and put some space between the man and himself. He didn’t know what came over him, he thought that maybe Steve was already in love with him,and that the kiss would work instantly.

**  
**He ran his hands through his hair, looking at the ground, tears starting to well up in his eyes, and asked softly “ _Why didn’t it work?_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I didn't post anything yesterday! Easter with my family is always hectic and scrambled and leaves me exhausted! But I will post another chapter tonight when I get home from work so be on the look out! Also, did you love the Wo Fat meeting, I loved writing his evil character lol maybe that means something?


	7. Unfamiliar Territory

Steve reached his hand out placing it on Danny’s face and faced him directly. He carefully wiped a stray tear from Danny’s cheek and spoke assuringly “Danny it wasn’t bad I swear I was just surprised, I just wasn’t expecting it is all,”

Danny laughed and playfully hit Steve’s chest “Yeah, I gathered that much from your unresponsiveness,”

Steve smirked and pushed Danny “Well come on inside and I will get you some clothes to cover yourself,” Steve laughed as they started walking up the sand.

“What’s wrong with this? Your clothes seem so constricting, why would I want to wear them?” Danny asked brashly, he had never understood the concept.

Steve laughed and waved Danny through the open door all the while keeping his gaze upward.

“Well we wear them because we have to, there’s parts that are private that not everyone wants to see, like that section in between your legs.” Steve smirked when Danny blushed brightly and instantly covered it with his hands. He walked into his bedroom,Danny following closely on his heels, and dug through his drawers pulling out a pair of sweatpants and his old blue Navy SEAL shirt.

Tossing them to Danny “Here, these should work for tonight, we will go out tomorrow and get some clothes that actually fit you. Do you know how to put them on?” He grinned when Danny held up the pants and shook his head.

He grabbed the material and mimicked putting each garment on in example. Danny smiled and grabbed the clothes, shooeing Steve out of the room. Steve laughed and stood in the hallway listening to the curses and loud noises coming from the room caused by Danny’s confusion.

Steve let out a laugh when Danny opened the door and was messing with the fabric trying to get it comfortable on his body. “So, are you going to explain how this happened or do I just go with it?” Steve asked walking to the bed and sitting on it as he watched Danny pace the room waving his hands as he spoke.

“Okay so I went to a shark that is very dangerous and untrustworthy and we-” His lips closed themselves by their own accord and wouldn’t allow Danny to tell anymore about the wager. Danny sighed heavily frustrated with the enchantment and continued testing out his limits “So I can’t tell you how because it won’t let me ,but I only have them for three days,” The blonde explained, every so often re-arranging the clothes, still not used to anything touching his new skin.

Steve laughed and rubbed his palms into his eyes speaking “So, you went to some shark, got legs by doing something and you only have three days, okay!” he clasped his hands together in front of him “then we better get a good nights rest for tomorrow! Here you can sleep in here and I’ll sleep on the couch,” Steve started to get up and make his way downstairs with his sleep pants when Danny interrupted.

“Well, um ,can we sleep together? I mean I was cold blooded before so I don’t really know everything about generating heat,” Steve snickered and grabbed his pjs putting them on quickly feeling Danny’s gaze on his body the whole time and raised the covers, climbing into the bed. Danny smiled and jumped in also, grappling to Steve’s side and resting his head on his chest slipping quickly into a deep sleep.

Steve stiffened as Danny latched onto his side but relaxed deciding not to move him just yet. The dark haired man pulled the blankets over them both of them and fell back comfortably into his pillow.

-x-

Sun streamed through the big bay windows resting on the walls of Steve’s bedroom as he started to wake up.He pulled his arms above his head and stretched lazily, trying to pop his back, but he couldn’t move his waist at all. He opened his eyes and blinked incredulously at the blonde on top of him face just inches away from his face.

He tried to sit up, but Danny’s weight kept him pinned. “Good Morning Daniel, may I ask why you are on top of me?” he asked tightly, staying completely still below the other man.

“Well,” Danny began looking anywhere but Steve’s face sheepishly, “I accidentally rolled on top of you this morning while waking up and I tried to move,but your arms wouldn’t let me. I didn’t wanna wake you up cause I knew you had been having trouble sleeping lately,” Danny faced Steve, pointing at him harshly, “So don’t think that any of this is my fault, okay Mr.Octopus!”

Steve laughed and pushed Danny off of him and onto his side of the bed, his only answer being a loud Oomph as Danny landed. He pushed the blanket off of his waist and legs and stood up stretching properly. Steve turned his head hearing Danny copying his stretches still on the bed, and was met with the sight of Danny’s bare ass peeking out from the bottom hem of Danny’s shirt, the blonde’s voice snapping his head up “Why are you looking at my ass Steve,”

Steve quickly rubbed a hand over his face, trying to will away the red blush on his cheeks, and laughed nervously “Don’t flatter yourself Williams, I was wondering what you did with my favorite pair of sweatpants?” He moved around to the opposite side of the bed and to the bathroom starting his morning routine.

“Don’t worry your pretty little head,” Danny said as he reached down to the floor and picked them up. “They were too constricting last night,” he explained as he got up and followed Steve, watching him brush his teeth. After spitting out his toothpaste and rinsing, he shooed Danny out, muttering something about taking a piss.

Danny walked over to Steve’s dresser looking at himself in the attached mirror and gasped, yelling to Steve through the door. “Please tell me that you have some human product that controls hair!?”

He heard Steve let out a hard laugh and start opening drawers calling back “My dad might have something here, I remember… Ah ha!” He opened the door and tossed a bottle of men’s hair gel to Danny and motioned that he could use the bathroom now. “Oh and you probably need to piss so do it in the toilet, that thing” he explained pointing and smirking, watching Danny disappear into the bathroom.

Steve opened up the dresser and pulled out clothes for himself cargoes, and a black t-shirt and more for Danny, boxers, blue jeans, and a gray baseball tee, also a pair of sandals hoping they would fit. He changed quickly and was attaching his holster when Danny walked out of the bathroom hair slicked back looking refreshed.

He threw Danny’s clothes at him explaining their plans for the day “Here are some clothes so deal with them before we get your replacements, we will go to the mall for some that actually fit you, then once you’re at least decent we will go see Grace,” Danny’s face brightened and he hurriedly tore off his shirt and was trying to out on his boxers when Steve yelled and covered his eyes “Danny, what did I say about taking off your clothes!”

The blonde laughed, pulling up his jeans, which he had to fold the bottom’s of up so they weren’t dragging on the floor, and called over his shoulder to Steve who was walking downstairs “be ready to go as soon as I get down there!”

-x-

Steve crossed his arms over his chest and huffed turning to face Danny beside him begrudgingly. “You sure this is the clothing store you want?” Danny nodded smiling at the big sign that read ‘Men’s Wearhouse’.  “Does it have to be here?” Steve asked again hoping Danny would change his mind and go with a more sensible pair of jeans,shirts, and sandals for the Hawaiian weather.

“Yep, this is what I want to wear,” he grabbed Steve’s arm, almost dragging him into the department store full of ties, button downs, and oxfords. Everything Steve despised in life.

-x-

Danny stood at the checkout station smoothing down his black tie over the blue and white pinstriped button up, unaware of the young female cashier’s eyes all over him. Steve coughed loudly returning her attention to ringing up the two pairs of slacks, oxfords,shirts, and ties on the counter.

Steve looked over at Danny and smirked, he could understand her interest. Although Steve hated the idea of dress slacks and button downs, Danny wore them perfectly, the material practically clinging to his ass and chest. He handed her his card to pay for the expensive clothes and hit Danny’s shoulder telling him to carry the bags as he signed the receipt.

He pulled out his truck keys and smirked at Danny as they walked out of the store and into the parking lot. “That clerk couldn’t keep her eyes off of you could she?”

Danny laughed and tried to turn around to look at his backside “What’s not to like? My ass looks great in these,”

Steve smirked and pushed Danny playfully having to bite his tongue to not agree with the man “You better watch out Danno, or your head will be too big to fit in my truck.”

Danny smacked him with the clothing bags and they both climbed into the cabin of the truck.

-x-

 

Steve pulled next to the curb at the address Kono had said the Edwards family lived in amazed by the gate and large house and lawn behind it. Steve turned off the truck and climbed out following Danny to the panel on the side of the gate post.

He patted Danny on the shoulder reassuringly before he pushed the com button and spoke “Mrs.Edwards, this is Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett with the Five-0 task force, is your daughter Grace home?” He glanced back at Danny who was wringing his hands nervously.

“Yes this is Rachel, and yes she is in her room, may I ask why you’re here?” the panel asked somewhat kindly in a thick English accent.

Steve turned towards Danny smiling and continued “Yes ma’am, her father, Daniel, is here with me and would like to meet her,”

There was silence for a while before Rachel shouted through the intercom at the two men “I don’t know what kind of sick joke you bastards are trying to pull, but I-”

Danny quickly cut her off by pressing the button and spoke loudly “It’s me Rachel, just calm down and let us in, I’ll explain everything,” There was just unnerving silence from the panel, before a loud sharp buzz sounded and the gate opened.

-x-

“So your Danno?” Grace asked as she held Rachel’s hand and watched the shorter of the two men sitting on the couch in the livingroom. Danny got up and knelt on the floor a ways away from Grace,giving her space, and spoke calmly “Yeah I’m your dad, Gracie. and I am so sorry that I couldn’t be with you till now, trust me I never would have been out of your sight if I had the choice, and I know that my apology doesn’t fix everything,” He said to Rachel slightly,

“But if you give me the chance I would love to be your Danno again,” Danny hurriedly wiped a few tears that had started to make their way down his cheeks.

Rachel had started to kneel down next to Grace to whisper to her that it was okay, but the little girl’s hand had left hers and she ran into Danny’s arms a huge tooth filled smile splitting her face.

The blonde caught her and held on tight, letting his tears fall freely now. Steve had gotten up by now and was gazing at the overwhelming emotion Danny had for his little girl. At that exact moment, Steve swore on his mother’s grave that he would do everything in his power to keep these two together and in his life.

-x-

For the rest of their time together Rachel and Grace had told Danny everything that had happened to them recently including Rachel getting married to a man named Stan Edwards. Grace had gotten a rabbit named Mr.Hoppy, which she showed to Danny immediately, giving Steve and Rachel to talk about how Rachel had met Danny and Rachel’s joking but commanding threat that if he hurt Danny, he better not plan on walking at all afterward.

Once Danny and Grace came back downstairs, the young girl told them all about the upcoming science fair and how Stan was helping her with her research on aquatic creatures ,which earned a muffled laughter from Steve who told her “You know, Danno here knows almost everything there is to know about aquatic creatures,” making Danny punch him in the arm.

Stan later came home from work and was introduced to the two men and they seemed to get along quite well but Stan seemed to keep his distance from Danny.Steve, Danny noticed, was on his hip the entire evening or at least whenever he was talking to or even close to Rachel.

After they had eaten dinner, a great spaghetti with chicken parmesan which Stan had prepared,Rachel had let Danny tuck Grace into bed and read her a bedtime story. Once Grace was asleep, Danny and Steve sat down in the living room with Stan and Rachel to explain how they had met and all of this came to happen.

She had already conveyed that she had told Stan about Danny being a merman and Grace’s father, and it did take a while, but Stan had come around, trying to wrap his head around this as well as he could. “Well I saved him when he was stupid enough to go swimming in a storm and got pulled under by the crashing waves,” Danny told them almost scolding Steve.

Steve smirked and continued for the blonde “And he didn’t even stay to make sure I was okay, but the following day he got himself stuck in a fisherman’s net half scaring the boat’s men when he had to cut the rope,” Danny just shrugged his shoulders like it was their fault, “and he washed up on the beach behind my house still wrapped in net, so of course I ran out and pulled out my knife to try to help,and well he wasn’t too happy with me,”

Danny gaped at the brunette like he was crazy for getting apprehensive to a guy who had had a knife in his hand, speaking like he was trying to prove his point “Yeah well he tracked me down and we talked about everything settling misinterpretations,” Steve let out a choked laugh remembering the kiss Danny gave him.

“And we continued meeting each other and arguing for the next few months, until Danny went to a shark who gave him those,” Steve said gesturing to Danny legs and missing gills on his neck, “but he only had three days on land, well two now,” Steve murmured forlornly, not wanting to think about what he would do once Danny had to be re-chained to the water.

Rachel and Stan had shared their first meeting together, which was a little less heroic than Steve and Danny’s of course, but after they had all finished exchanging stories about the time they had missed from each other’s lives they decided to call it a night.

**  
**After one last check on Grace by Danny and an exchange of handshakes and hugs the two men had left promising that they would see them Monday night for dinner at some high-class restaurant Stan had been to recently, ignorant to the fact that a certain Great White had other plans for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter! I loved writing the Men's Wearhouse bit! I'm still working on typing up the last 2 chapters, I have them written in a spiral just not typed, but I will bring my laptop to work and hopefully have some downtime to finish it up but I give you Danno's 100% guarantee that they will be up by the end of this week!


	8. Introductions and Endings

The alarm next to the bed let out a shrill consistent cry and Danny shot straight up hitting Steve beside him blindly as he stared at the clock. Steve groaned and pushed Danny’s hand away sitting up and yawning. Danny turned and stared at the brunette as he calmly reached over Danny and pressed the snooze button, slumping down on top of Danny again.

Danny watched incredulously as Steve drifted into a light sleep again not affected in the least by the beeping contraption on the nightstand. He put his hands under Steve’s chest and with a great deal of effort flipped Steve back onto his side of the bed.

He rubbed his hands over his face like he was wiping the sleep out of his eyes and turned to Steve nudging him hard, the taller man not even stirring.Danny groaned rolling his eyes and grabbed the pillow he was sitting on. With as much force as he could muster at six o’clock in the morning, he brought the feather filled pillow down on to the back of Steve’s head repeatedly.

“Okay, Okay I’m getting up!” Steve laughed tiredly. He turned over facing Danny and pulled his arms above his head stretching and popping them. Danny just shook his head and got up to use the bathroom and brush his teeth like Steve had done yesterday morning. Steve got up and ruffled around in his dresser grabbing suitable clothes for the work day, cargoes, boots, and a dark blue button up.

Danny walked out of the bathroom, hair fresh and every strand set in place, and pulled out a new pair of slacks,gray and white pinstripe button up, and black tie. Steve smiled at the rhythm they had set and walked downstairs to make coffee.

-x-

Danny was star struck walking into the bullpen of Five-0 looking at all of the technology and the team’s offices. He clutches his bakery bag tight as they approach two Hawaiians that resemble each other in a way that Danny couldn’t place.

“Good morning boss, I’m surprised to see you on time this morning, and who is this this?” Kono asked gazing at the blonde who stood close to Steve.

“Chin,Kono this is-”Steve started but was cut short by Danny stepping forward hand extended “Danny Williams,” He shook both their hands and glanced back at Steve a moment before continuing “I’m a friend of Steve’s, I just wanted to see what he did as a Five-0 investigator and leader, I’ve been thinking of going into this kind of field ever since he started telling me all of his stories about what you all do here,” Steve turning and giving him a shocked look, unaware that Danny had an actual interest in law enforcement.

Kono and Chin’s jaw dropped when Danny said friend, they didn’t know Steve was capable of human interaction. He was a great guy, but not the best at talking, he had been getting better the past few months happier even, but when they first started working together he was very rough around the edges.

“Well, that’s great! We didn’t know that Steve had any friends, outside of work of course,”Chin said laughing at Steve’s smirk.

“So, how did you two meet? seeing as though he doesn’t come off as an approachable guy and all,” Kono asked looking between the two as they turned to each other surprise on their faces.

“He saved me,” Danny said at the same moment Steve said “It’s complicated,”. They both turned and stared incredulously at each other. Steve hadn’t told Danny that telling the team that he used to be a merman probably wasn’t the best idea. He didn’t need Kono and Chin to freak out on him especially this early in the morning.

He coughed and turned back to the cousins standing warily in the bull pen, explaining “It’s complicated, We met a few months ago and he has been staying at my house, since the rent on the island is so high and I have plenty of room in the house,” Steve paused, clapping his hands together signalling that that as all the information they were going to privy to for now and kept going, “Now that we got formalities out of the way, Danno and I are going to do some paperwork,”

He practically hauled Danny into his office, the blonde waving politely to Kono and Chin, and slammed the door behind them. Steve huffed,sitting down in his leather chair, while Danny walked around the office exploring. He groaned rubbing his palms into his eyes, and logged onto his computer. “We can’t have anyone knowing that you were a merman okay Danny? People might not react as kindly as Rachel,” He explained keeping his gaze on the blonde who was studying his numerous plaques on the walls.

“Yeah, yeah keep everything hush, hush I get it,” Danny said over his shoulder as he ran his fingers over the engravings “So, what are all of these things on the walls?”

Steve pulled out the few papers out of the drawer in his desk and grabbed a blue pen skimming over the reports Kono had left him from last night and signing off on them, trusting Kono to get all of the specifics right. Without looking up from the papers, Steve answered “They’re awards, I got them for certain things I did as a Seal and some as a Marine,”

Danny gaped gazing back and forth between Steve and the medals and awards on the wall that he acted so nonchalantly about. He grabbed the brown paper bag, opening it and taking out the malasadas and leaned next to Steve, watching as he filled out paperwork and compiled evidence.

Steve looked over his shoulder at Danny who was making a mess of his tie and mouth along with Steve’s chair and shirt with falling crumbs. “Danny you’re making a mess everywhere, look there’s even crumbs on the paperwork,” Steve grumbled, using his had to brush the bread and sugar crumbs off the desk and onto the floor. Checking his desk drawers for napkins, which he couldn’t locate, he smiled at the sight of Danny with cheeks full of sugar coated bread and mouth covered in it’s remnants.

“Oh whatever, don’t tell me they teach you how not to make a mess in the Army,” Danny scoffed, grinning at the coming outburst from Steve at the confusion of his title.

“Navy, Danny,” Steve almost growled pushing Danny towards the door “Here, just go see if Kono has any because I can’t find mine,” Danny laughed and headed out of the office, malasada bag in hand, sending a smile over his shoulder at Steve before making his way to Kono’s office.

Steve sat back in his chair letting out a heavy sigh and grinning as he watched Danny and Kono talk avidly about the importance of malasadas, no doubt. Turning back to the awaiting pile of files on the desk, Steve signed the bottom lines, trusting Kono to make sure they were presentable for the Governor. Almost immediately after he finished signing the stack of papers, the door to Steve’s office burst open with an enraged Catherine rushing inside glaring daggers at Steve the whole time.

“Catherine, I really don’t wanna talk right now, I’m a little preoccupied,” Steve grumbled already feeling a headache starting to arise.

“Good then you can just listen, and don’t worry I’ll be fast, I wouldn’t wanna take up any of your precious time with whoever the hell you brought to work with you today,” Catherine said spittingly like she had venom on her tongue.

Steve chanced a look outside the glass doors, catching the gazes of Danny, Kono, and Chin, who turned around quickly, not wanting to get caught staring. “Catherine you’re blowing this out of proportion, Danny just wanted to see where I work,”

“I’ve asked numerous times to go to work with you, meet your team, eat lunch with you for fuck’s sake,” Catherine said, voice raising along with the uneasy tension in the room. “What’s so great about him?!” She yelled arm pointed in Danny’s direction.

“Well he doesn’t just use me for a quick fuck that’s for sure, he actually has a heart where you have nothing,” Steve bit out, brow knitting in anger.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you wanted some stupid blonde bimbo in your bed-” Catherine shouted back, ready to keep going, but Steve cut her off.

“That is enough!” Steve roared as he stood up suddenly,shoving the huge leather chair back to hit the shelves behind him, shaking pictures and such that lay atop them.The loud outburst shook through the headquarters, attracting the tense gazes of the team, especially Danny who hadn’t taken his eyes off of the fight and now looked like he was about to intervene.

Steve gave him a firm nod holding his blue eyes until turning back to face Catherine, more confident. “We never should have done this,” Steve strained, trying to keep his emotions in check, “I will drop your clothes off at the base whenever I can, but right now I think you should leave,”

Cath just stared mouth agape. She had come here to just set Steve straight, knowing he would follow her orders like a dog looking for approval. Except now the dog has realized that there is someone else that treated him with respect and is now biting back.

Cath turned sharply and grabbed her phone and wallet that she had thrown on the desk when she stormed in and flipped her hair behind her shoulders “Well, if Mr. Short-Blonde-and-Bitchy doesn’t work out, you know where I am,”

Steve grinded his teeth and spat out quickly, not wanting the conversation to go on any longer, “Goodbye, Catherine,” as she stormed out of his office, following her to make sure she didn’t start anything with the team.

The three members of Five-0 had gathered in the bullpen showing their dedication to Steve and willingness to throw themselves in the fire to keep him safe. She walked straight up to Danny and pointed a manicured finger in his face, not paying attention to the low growl coming from the blonde that was becoming louder. “I’d watch out if I were you Williams, Steven has a habit of coming back to old toys,” Catherine sneered when suddenly Danny surged forward face centimeters away from her face, teeth bared, that seemed to be sharper than a normal humans, and let out a ferocious growl showing his dominance.

She fell backwards, one arm up protecting herself and yelled at Danny who had stopped baring his teeth animalistically, but was still emitting a low growl in warning “What the hell is wrong with you!” She quickly stood up and skittered backwards away from the angry blonde and heading for the door.

She turned to Steve who stood in the door of his office shock all over his face with a hint of pride in his eyes, and yelled pointing at Danny “You need to keep your bitch on a leash!”

The stocky blond took one step forward as a challenge and let out a growl in warning that sent Catherine to the door and out of Five-0 for good!

-x-

The beach bustled with people as the sun beamed across the sand and warmed the motley of people. One little girl with curly brown hair that sprung out in all directions, built a sandcastle that to her rivaled all others, especially her brother’s sand architecture who was next to her.

She finished the tower leaving only the filling of the moat that she had carved into the sand to be accomplished. Grabbing her small blue bucket, she ran to the water, throwing an okay to her mother, that was spread on a towel reading a very interesting Home Goods magazine, who warned her not to go too far out.

She ran into the water until it rested just above her knobby knees and sank the small plastic pail into the rhythmic waves, letting it fill to the brim. It had just filled up when the sun that was beaming down on her back was blocked by someone very tall. She let the pale slip from her fingers as she watched a man walk right past her in a black tailored suit with what looked like shark teeth for cufflinks that he adjusted once he reached the sand.

What amazed her was that even though he had just walked out of the ocean, he was completely dry. Her mother ran towards her clutching her child and staring defensively at the strange man. He turned toward both of them and smiled showing a massive array of serrated shark teeth, causing the little girl to wail and clutch her mother’s arm.

The tan man with black trimmed hair pointed to the curly haired girl, whose mouth began to seal itself, making it impossible for her to scream and slowly brought his own finger to his mouth telling her to be silent. The mother turned her child to face her yelling for help and trying to get her to talk, only hearing muffled screams coming from the girl, as Wo Fat walked away, heading in the direction of Ali’Iolani Hale.

-x-

Steve watched Cath storm out of the bullpen, feeling a weight on his shoulders lift that he didn’t know was there, and turned to Danny who had settled slightly, but he could still hear a low soft growl coming from the back of the blonde’s throat.

“Danny,” Steve said firmly drawing the man back to his fully human state and his attention back to the taller man “What was that?” Danny’s eyes flitted between the three people staring at him, his hands wringing by his sides.

Chin spoke quietly, almost to himself, “That was…”

“Pure holo holo na brah!!” Kono cut in slapping Danny on the back praisingly, effectively uplifting the atmosphere. They all let out a laugh and immediately started pestering Steve about who Catherine was and what she was so mad about, it was mostly Kono and Danny that were curious though.

With a loud metallic click, a burly hawaiian man with an HPD uniform on ran into the bullpen and yelled at all of them “Are you all with Five-0?!”  

They all turned quickly and Steve spoke authoritatively toward the other man “Yes, we are the governor’s task force, Is something wrong officer?” He didn’t notice the strange look Danny gave him while including him in the head count of the members of Five-0.

“There’s a situation on the front lawn, a woman has a hostage and is asking to see the three members of Five-0,” the officer replied, quite short on breath from sprinting the whole way.

Steve was immediately sent into Navy Seal mode barking orders to Chin and Kono to get their vests on and for the officer to get his men to set up a safe perimeter around her and  to not engage, just inform her they were coming down! He grabbed Danny’s arm and led him into his office and spoke firmly over the blonde’s protests “Danny, I need you to stay here, she knows that you aren’t Five-0 and I’m not going to risk putting you in any danger,”

****  
  


He grabbed his vest from the locker in his office and strapped it on as Danny argued loudly “No way, I’m not gonna just stand on the side lines while you put your life on the line, not anymore! I did this so we could be together! through all of it! So I could protect you!”Danny yelled gesturing to his body and legs.

Steve stilled momentarily as he put an extra magazine in his pocket, and processed what Danny was saying but quickly pushed it away focussing on the situation he was barreling into. “I can’t risk it Danny! You don’t even know how to shoot let alone keep yourself safe,”

Danny’s mouth opened ready to have a say in Steve’s stupid decision but the hard headed man had put his hand over his mouth “Also, I’m a Super Seal right? What’s the worst that could happen?”

Steve, without thinking about the consequences of his actions, pressed a chaste kiss over his hand that was keeping their mouths apart, thinking that if she was crazy enough to call out all of Five-0 then she might be unstable enough to go farther.Pulling back, he was shocked with his actions and instead of facing his feelings he ran out of the room, not giving the shorter man a chance to react or blow up.

Leading the team and one HPD officer he asked him “Do we have any idea who she is or if she might have any affiliation to a terrorist group on the islands?”

They hurried down the hall and towards the stairs “We ran her through facial rec. and identified her as Jenna Kaye, ex-C.I.A.” They took the stairs two at a time, helping to direct the rest of the people in the building out the front door and to a safe distance away from the scene.

Hurrying people out of the door and across the street, he caught the eyes with one man who was doing the complete opposite. Where everyone was frazzled and frantic, he was calm and collected. The tall dark skinned man looked daringly at Steve as he strode through the rush of people, while the frantic employees parted around him like a stream would to a rock, and inside the palace.

Steve had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, but it was quickly diminished when he suddenly changed sights and focussed on the situation at hand, just like Wo Fat wanted him too with a wave of his hand.

-x-

Steve exited the building and made his way to the lawn of the Palace, Chin and Kono right on his heels, taking in the situation as they approached. Jenna was standing on the grass, one hand on her hip and the other extending an AK47 to the man’s head who was on his knees with his hands on the top of his head.

“Jenna Kaye! You have Five-0’s attention now what do you want?” Steve asked as he stood a few feet in front of her.. He clamped and unclamped his hands by his side, unsure of how this situation was going to unfold. She didn’t look like the person to just take hostages for fun, she was completely composed, like she wasn’t surrounded by SWAT and had a man on his knees thinking that he would never be able to see his family again.

She pulled out her phone from the pocket of her jeans typing quickly with her one hand as she spoke firmly not even looking at the head of the taskforce. “Firstly Hello, Lieutenant Commander Steven J. McGarrett, ex-Navy SEAL with a weird dominance hierarchy and extreme daddy issues, Chin Ho Kelly ex-HPD, discharged for taking money from the forfeiture locker which your father really did, and Kono Kalakaua still the rookie and secretly has a thing for Adam Noshimuri.” The young woman finished and looked up at the gaping faces of the three task members that were shifting their weight uneasily, completely thrown off their game.

Steve stepped forward challenging her without a second thought and growled out “ I don’t know what the hell kind of game you’re playing at ,but tell me how you know so much about us!?”

The phone in her hand let out a loud alert ,but Jenna didn’t even glance at it just let out a sharp short laugh  “ You aren’t in any position to make demands Commander, but let me make it easier for you,” She grabbed the massive gun in both hands and pulled her knees behind her kneeling on the grass “I surrender,” she said slyly, placing the gun on the ground in front of her and putting her hands on top of her head, almost mimicking the pose of the man beside her.

Steve was as confused as ever, but didn’t let the chance to take her down get away. He quickly walked behind her, pulling her hands down behind her back, placing the metal cuffs tightly around her wrists, noticing her looking up at the row of windows that were the Five-0 headquarters and felt chills go down his spine.

He pulled her onto her feet and stilled instantly at her next words “Oh yeah, I forgot one member” Steve turned her around and gripping her arm violently, forcing her to keep talking “Daniel ‘Danno’ Williams, merman turned human and in a tight situation, because he is running out of time to win the wager,” Steve paled completely and turned to Chin yelling “Stay with her! I have to-”

Chin grabbed Jenna pushing her back onto the grass and yelled to the Seal as he started running towards the building “Hurry! We got it here just help Danny!”

Stopping at the curb quickly, Steve turned and yelled back firmly, leaving no room for mistake “Do not let her out of your sight!”

“We know! Just hurry!” Kono screamed, to the back of the man who was sucking in a deep breath and turning away, going over to the frightened man and ushering him away from the lawn.

Steve sprinted across the driveway, blood rushing so loud that he did not hear the 10.mm Sniper Rifle’s bullet being fired from the roof and cutting straight through Jenna’s skull producing a massive cracking noise that shook Chin and Kono to their core.

-x-

Steve bombarded through the door to the Five-0 bullpen and stopped suddenly heart in his throat and he watched the same well dressed tan man as before grabbing a fistful of Danny’s hair roughly, who was on the floor spitting blood from his mouth, and smirked, showing two rows of sharp shark-like teeth “Sorry Steven, we’re gonna have to skip introductions this time,” Steve could hear Wo Fat’s voice like a faint buzz at the back of his head, his full attention on Danny who was cringing in his grip.

 **  
** The last thing Steve saw before the two disappeared in a wild flash of blue fire that exploded all of the lightbulbs sending glass everywhere,was Danny’s hand reaching out to Steve with raw emotion ragged on his face  then     _nothing._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked Jenna Kaye's part! I tried to make it like her actual role in the series as bait? so hopefully it makes sense! She was my favorite woman on the show except Kono obviously! Also, was my hate for Catherine adamant?! I might have shown my "I want Catherine to be destroyed" side a little. Sorry for those Cat fans ,but I couldn't help it! Next chapter is up VERY SOON


	9. Explanations & Rising Tensions

Danny stood in the office, still in shock from Steve ‘kissing’ him, if you count kissing his hand that was over Danny’s mouth a kiss, before running to the window.  Watching the woman on the grass and Steve with Chin and Kono behind him approach her, he prayed to all of the Gods he could think of that nobody would get hurt.

He only pried his eyes away when he heard the door leading into the bullpen open violently. He ran to the glass wall that faced the surface table and had to force his legs to stay straight beneath him, so that his knees wouldn’t give out and bring him colliding with the floor, at the sight of Wo Fat walking determinedly towards Steve’s office.

Danny shook himself mentally, forcing himself to clutch all of his confidence, and locked the door fruitlessly, hoping it would at least slow the Great White down.

Wo Fat stopped in front of the door staring at Danny through the glass before grinning maliciously and placing his hand on the handle. Without any warning Wo Fat ripped the door from it’s hinges and threw it behind him shattering the bulletproof glass across the floor.

Danny turned and ran to the window pounding his fists against it and screaming Steve’s name who was currently busy watching Jenna crouching down onto the ground, placing the gun in front of her.

“Come now Daniel, we can’t have you yelling for help,” Wo Fat scolded calmly and he strode to the shorter man flipping Danny to face him and held tightly onto his throat. While still holding the blonde against the window he pulled the phone out of his pocket and sent a message to Victor on the roof that Jenna Kaye was of no more use to them.

“I was completely confident in the wager, thinking that no one could love something like you, but alas you found the one man who likes fixing broken toys,” Wo Fat chided growing angrier with the situation “But no matter, I can always sway the odds,” Wo Fat snickered, lifting Danny by his throat and throwing him through one of the glass walls of the office and onto the already glass covered floor.

Steve threw open the door as Danny spit out blood on to the floor and cringed at the shards of glass he could feel protruding from his shoulder and lower back. Wo Fat kneeled over Danny grabbing him by his hair violently and baring his teeth to Steve. “Sorry, Steven but I’m going to have to borrow Danny for a while, don’t worry, I’ll let you see him tomorrow at sunset, but unfortunately by then it will be too late,” He let out a sharp laugh at his own viciousness and with blue crackling flames surrounding them he transported them out of the headquarters as Danny reached out, for what seemed like the last time, towards the man who he had given so much of his life up for.

-x-

Steve cursed loudly, his hands gripping his hair painfully. At the sound of glass crunching under boots, Steve turned to face Chin and Kono, who had to have been standing there when Wo Fat vanished with Danny in his arms, based off the shock and disbelief on their faces.

Steve wiped away the tears that threatened to spill over and asked quietly “What happened to Jenna?”

Chin stepped forward warily explaining “There was a sniper on the roof, shot her in the head through and through just as you were running back into the building-”

Kono strode forward speaking sternly “more importantly, what the hell was that?”

Steve flinched slightly knowing that being friends, or whatever they were, with Danny he was going to have to explain to the cousins sooner or later.

“Steve, what’s going on?” Chin asked quietly, putting a hand on Kono’s shoulder calming her and telling her that getting angry wasn’t going to help the situation.

The Seal rubbed his palms into his eyes, deciding that they deserved to know the truth, he owed them that much. “You know how I haven't been hanging out with you two that much for the past 6 months?” he turned uneasily as both nodded warily. “Well, I met Danny, well we didn’t exactly meet, he saved my life,” Steve took a step towards the surface table, leaning slightly unsure of how his legs would hold.

“You remember finding me on the beach with that nasty gash on my head right? Well, Danny was the one who pulled me back on the shore,”

Kono shook her head speaking quietly, trying to wrap her head around what he was telling them “Steve it’s not humanly possible, the waves were too extreme,”

Steve let out a small laugh at the insanity of the situation “Well, that’s because Danny isn't exactly human, he's a merman,” he faced the two Hawaiians, who had more accepting on their face then shock "Well, I geuss he was,"

“The next night, Danny got caught in a fisherman’s net and washed up on my beach. I ran out to help him, and found out he was actually living in the cave by my house, and I confronted him,” he laughed to himself remembering the day. He looked up between Chin who was smiling and Kono covering her mouth to keep from laughing. “What!?”

Kono couldn’t help it anymore and burst out into a fit of laughter as Chin spoke his voice full of happiness “Man you got it bad brah, Why didn’t you tell us you met a Wahine hi’u i’a,”

Now Steve was the one shocked and managed to choke out “What do you mean! You knew about them?”

Kono smiled brightly answering Steve “We grew up on this island brah, we know all of it’s secrets,”

Chin took it upon himself to explain “Our parents used to tell us stories about them, never actually saw one, but what Danny did to Catherine, we knew instantly,”   Steve was still confused, he just remembered Danny baring his teeth? “They’re extremely territorial and possessive of their mates,”

A huge blush was smacked onto Steve’s cheeks “Wait, so that means I’m-” At Chin’s nod and Kono’s outburst of hysterical laughter, Steve’s head fell forward into his palms, muttering “Oh,Shit,”

-x-

Wo Fat threw Danny onto the cold cement of the warehouse, fixing the cuffs of his button down, as the blonde spit the remaining blood from his mouth and pushed himself up off the dirty floor. He stood up and readied himself, fists clenched to put up a fight.

“I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you, that’ll teach me not to put my faith in Great Whites” Danny growled, feeling the edges of his teeth starting to sharpen in his mouth.

“Don’t get mad at me, you’re the one who came crawling to me hoping I would grant your heart’s desire,” Wo Fat spit, angry that Danny was pinning all of this on him. He should have listened to his instincts and turned him away, he was too strong willed.

“Yes, but we had a deal! If I got Steve to kiss me in three days then I would get to be human for the rest of my life! You’ve gone back on your word!” Danny yelled the side of his lip curling up into a snarl,only slightly showing his teeth.

Wo Fat surged forward, teeth fully bared and sharp, pushing Danny back into his place, “I never break my contracts, and I don’t plan to start now. You didn’t say anything about me interfering or making it so that you couldn’t be near that man,”

Danny’s mouth gaped open in retort, but the mer was right, he had never specified any of it in the contract. He bit his tongue, not wanting to dig himself deeper into the hole then he already was, as Wo Fat moved back from Danny, standing tall. He took a breath and risked it, seeing as he didn’t have anything left to lose “Steve will find me you know, he’s not very good about just sitting by and doing nothing,”

The Great White just snickered and looked past him as one of the large bay doors opened silently and a familiar Irish man strided through, rifle in his hands. “Nice shot out there Victor, you know how much I hate loose ends,” Wo Fat called as Danny whirled around the face the tiger shark, but Victor had already gotten too close, and collided the butt of his sniper rifle with the shorter man’s skull, sending him unconscious to the floor.

“Yeah they can be quite the pain in your arse, if not taken care of,” Victor said grabbing a bundle of rope from the top of one of the wooden boxes littering the warehouse. Wo Fat smirked in agreement, and pulled the cuff of his jacket back, checking the time on his watch.

He would give Steve another hour of fretting before making the call about the meeting tomorrow. He pulled his cuff back down and grinned as Victor tied Danny’s hands and ankles to the wooden chair he had found in one of the offices of the warehouse. “Stay here with him, don’t take your eyes off of him,” Wo Fat ordered, Victor nodded finishing up the knots “Once I get back, you can return to the ocean, I know how much you hate being among these humans,” he said and the tanned man turned and strode out of the abandoned shipment facility intent on erasing all of his past information from the governments system.

-x-

Steve walked through his front door,locked it behind him, and just stood there, his head resting on the wood of the door. They had been looking all day searching and threading through all of the archives trying to at least find something on Wo Fat.

In all of their efforts they had only found out his name, and that he was almost invisible. He would appear on hotel and traffic cameras hours before he would be seen killing his chosen casualty, high standing political men and women , gang members ,and mob bosses, then  completely disappear, walking down a hall out of view from one camera and vanishing before the next camera caught sight of him, not to be seen for months before turning up again in the wake of another murder.

Steve had called in almost every favor that anyone had ever owed him trying to get any information on this ‘man’, but no one had anything concrete, just rumors and theories. Leaving him back at the beginning, picking through every file until Chin and Kono had convinced him that there was nothing more they could do tonight. They had sent out an APB to the rest of the islands so every law enforcement agency had their men on the look out.

Steve shook his head and slammed his fist against the wood, scraping his knuckles raw.He gritted his teeth, trying to keep the tears in his eyes from running down his cheeks. His phone beeped repeatedly, surprising him and he scrambled to pull it from his pocket, thinking it was Chin with good news, but as he checked the caller id flashing in the dark house alerting him that it was from a private number he felt his heart leap into his throat.

He shakily answered the call and upon placing the phone to his ear, felt his blood run cold “Well, good evening Commander, I hope you didn’t waste the day trying to figure out who I was because I’ve been doing this long enough to know how to disappear,” Wo Fat said chillingly across the line.

Steve’s grip on the phone tightened in anger. He hated feeling so helpless, like nothing he could do would help get Danny out of the man’s grasp, but Wo Fat outing everything strained his nerves “Did you call just to boost your own ego or name your price?” Steve growled unable to keep his anger in check.

“Neither actually, I called to let you speak to Danny,” Steve’s heart skipped a beat as he heard Wo Fat speak to someone near him, who he assumed was Danny.

“Steve!?” Steve I’m so sorry, I never should have gotten involved in your life, it was a mistake,” Danny stuttered through tears, making Steve strain to understand what the shorter man was saying.

Hearing the last part perfect, Steve almost yelled back into the phone “No Danny, it wasn’t a mistake! These past two days were perfect and I wouldn’t trade them for anything!” Steve kept going unaware that Wo Fat had walked away from Danny and he could no longer hear him. “I’m going to find you just hold on okay!”

Wo Fat turned his back to Danny and waved his hand to the man behind him, whose lips sealed themselves and kept the annoying and sickening proclamations of love and hope at bay and continued talking to Steve who’s heartbroken hope quickly turned to rage.  “Well Steven I hope that you said your peace to Danny, but if not I will give you one more chance, now listen carefully, tomorrow at 6:00 precisely you will come to the address I give you at a later date. You will come alone and no back-up,and, since Daniel keeps bragging about you, I will give you the chance to fight for him. If you can defeat me then I will let you both go,if not well, I hope you don’t have unfinished business on land,”

Just as Steve was about to roar into the phone he heard the tone that the call had ended. He yelled in anger and slammed both fists into the door causing more damage to his hands, but the pain didn’t register.

 **  
** He let out a shaky breath and let himself go upstairs to the bedroom, taking off his grimy clothes from the day. He collapsed onto the bed and fell into an uneasy fit of sleep, unable to stop tossing and turning because of the missing pressure on the other side of the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I didn't hurt your heart too much! This chapter was so much fun to write! I don't know why,but writing evil Wo Fat makes me so happy!  
> Also,fast fact! That little girl from the last chapter with the curly hair is me lol I had crazy hair then and still do!  
> next chapter is the last and final one! Thanks for reading this far! it means a bunch!


	10. An End Can Also Be a Beginning

Steve woke up early and got to the Ali’iolani Hale before the rest of his team to again call his contact at HPD and get Duke to have his best guys follow Chin and Kono behind Steve as they went to save Danny.He told him to make sure everyone had tact. gear on and to be ready to rush in if the signal was given.

Chin and Kono arrived shortly after Steve had set up everything and explained the situation they were in. He knew Wo Fat was dangerous and seeing as though Danny was his responsibility he offered them a chance to sit this one out if they felt it was too dangerous, but both were very adamant about being behind Steve every step of the way; Danny was their family now too.

Steve got a text about four o’clock from Wo Fat with the location and they quickly got to work on looking at all of the layout and satellite photos of the place. When that didn’t do much to help figure out where Danny was being held in the structure, Steve pushed his pride down and called Catherine.

“Please, Catherine, I’m calling you because you’re my last chance at helping Danny,” Steve reasoned, his voice teetering on the edge of begging. He wanted to hang up,throw her to the wind without looking behind him and storm the old warehouse, but he couldn’t risk Danny getting hurt in the crossfire.

“And why should I help you? Why do I care what happens to your mentally deranged boy toy?” Cath retorted, offended that Steve would dare call her again.

“Because as a Navy sailor it’s your duty to protect those in danger!”Steve snapped, furious that she was letting their petty feud cloud her vision of keeping someone safe, no matter if it was Danny. “Now please, just get me a thermal scan of the place,I know you can,” He pleaded, Catherine’s heartless nature wearing thin on his nerves.

After a long moment of silence she answered “Okay, I’ll send the pictures over as soon as I get them,” hanging up immediately after finishing the sentence.

Steve rubbed a hand over his face, trying to wipe away the stress, but maybe his luck was beginning to turn around.

-x-

Once Steve had the pictures he spent a rough thirty minutes memorizing every door,window,and room. If worse came to worst he needed to be able to explain to Danny how to get out of the there, especially if their situation meant leaving Steve behind.

He noticed, chillingly, that he could see Danny’s heat perfectly, a defined body of energy, but Wo Fat didn’t have any; He was completely dark blue, which was the complete opposite of normal biological behavior.Steve forced the thought from his thought from his head and tried not to notice the feeling of heaviness on his shoulders.

He had thirty minutes before he had to drive to the other side of the island to the crumbling warehouse so, he went over the plan with Chin, Kono, and Duke’s SWAT team, who had arrived perfectly on time, again drilling into everyone’s head that unless he gave the signal no one was to make any move on the building.

Kono wired the inside of his shirt with bluetooth sensors that if any of his vitals went too low, a loud signal in everyone’s headset would go off, commanding them to rush the exits and take down Wo Fat. But, if all went according to plan and he took down the non-human, he would tap his ear twice.

Which Chin would be on the look out for, on his motorcycle with the rest of HPD behind him, on the live thermal video feed Catherine would ‘graciously, provide them with.

Strapping his thigh holster on and putting an extra magazine into his pocket he waved everyone out of the bullpen and into their cars in the parking lot.

With one final nod to Chin and Kono he pulled out of the parking lot, knowing that even though they always had his back, he had to do this alone; To keep Danny safe.

-x-

Steve gripped the metal bay door,cringing at the loud screech it made, but figuring that Wo Fat already knew that he was here he kept pulling until it was fully open. He stepped forward into the decrepit building and looked around, connecting layout plans and thermal pictures to the concrete walls and feeling secure in his understanding of the floor-plan.

Steve turned and rushed through the stacks of boxes, seeing Danny strapped to a wooden chair. Going down onto his knees he grabbed the black hood over the blonde’s head and pulled it off gently, putting both hands on either side of his head,pulling off the many strips of duct tape over his mouth also,as he recoiled away from his grip and his eyes focussed against the light. “Danny, Danno, I’m here, you’re okay, it’s me,” he murmured strongly, calming Danny down.

Danny blinked furiously for a moment before settling on Steve and smiling “Steve, I knew you would come get me, you’re too hard headed to listen to reason,” the brunette laughed and Danny just smiled, content in the sight of the crows feet at the edges of his eyes.Danny looked over Steve’s shoulder at a tall stack of wooden boxes a few feet behind him and spoke challengingly “See, I told you he’d show up,”

Steve turned and felt his whole body tense at the sight of Wo Fat standing on top of the boxes and checking his watch and smirking “Yes he did, and exactly on time, not that any less would be expected of a Navy Seal,”

Wo Fat stepped forward off the box and landed solidly on the floor stepping toward the two men. Steve stood tall ,squaring his shoulders and readying for anything “Now if it’s alright with you Daniel, I would like to test my strength against your supposed ‘Super Seal’” Wo Fat snickered and waved his wrist, the wooden boxes stacking on top of each other and moving out of the way, clearing the floor for their test of strengths.

Steve glared at Danny and his loose tongue “When we get home, we are going to have a long talk about when to keep your mouth from blabbering,” Steve chided with a hint of affection, his only response being an incredulous look from Danny who, if he could, would have raised his arms in motion.

Steve stood opposite Wo Fat and took his position, the Great White doing the same, and with one last glance towards Danny he took his last grounding breathe before charging Wo Fat. The Seal picked him up by his waist and slammed him into the unforgiving concrete below.

Steve got one firm punch to the stomach, on account of his element of surprise, before Wo Fat growled and sent a clawed hand down into the flesh of his shoulder causing Steve to yell out in pain and scramble away.

Steve and Wo Fat cautiously stood up, neither one tearing his eyes away from the other as the shark smiled and said “That was a good effort, but I have no intention of playing fair, seeing how high the stakes are,” The black haired man was suddenly in front of Steve,whipping his hand in front of his and thrust his hand on top of the built man’s chest and an explosion of electricity surged from Wo Fat’s hand and into Steve’s chest, with an array of sparks skittering from them and extinguishing themselves on the ground.

Steve screamed out in pain, not hearing Danny’s answering scream of his name like he was experiencing all of the torture he was, as he connected the bottom of his boot with Wo Fat’s knee with an echoing crack and staggering backward.

Wo Fat cursed under his breath, clutching his knee as it swelled. With a burst of anger he stormed forward intent on breaking the neck of the man who had caused the shattering of his knee cap and dislocation, but stopped suddenly as Steve pulled the gun from his thigh holster out and pointed it at Wo Fat’s head, still clutching his chest.  

“That’s good, because I don’t plan to play fair either,” Steve spit out tempted to pull the trigger right now and feel the immediate satisfaction of revenge for everything he did to Danny, but it wouldn’t stop the guilt he would feel afterward.

Wo Fat gritted his teeth, not liking his odds in his predicament and waged that his silver tongue could help more than his fists would. “Tell me ,Commander, did Danny happen to tell you what the specifics of our wager consist of?” Wo Fat asked smugly a slight suspicion that even though Danny could have hinted at it he wouldn't have, and the flash of confusion over Steve’s face confirmed it.

“Well I can see why telling you that you had to kiss him with true love or he would be mine forever, could be hard to explain,”

Steve’s head turned frantically between Danny, who just stared tears threatening to fill his eyes and Wo Fat who smirked at the two men falling apart. “What do you mean?!” Steve shouted but turned to Danny, gun still trained on Wo Fat and said quietly “Danny what is he talking about?”

Wo Fat watched as Danny’s head dropped, unable to keep looking at the taller man, and decided to keep going “So he didn’t tell you that he is entirely in love with you? Pathetic really, that’s the only reason he came on land,”

Steve settled himself and smiles catching Danny’s eyes and pouring as much love through his gaze as he can he says “Good, because I feel the same way,” Danny’s eyes widened and the brightest smile spread across his face while Wo Fat just rolled his eyes and sighed, using the distraction to his advantage, kicking the gun from Steve’s hands and sending it skidding towards Danny.

Steve tried to shield his body, but Wo Fat tackled him to the ground pinning his arms and legs below him, rendering him helpless. The shark loomed over him as he popped his jaw and Steve watched as two rows of serrated teeth expanded from his gums, replacing his originals.

Danny watched in horror as Wo Fat bared his teeth at Steve knowing that the only way that could end was with Steve missing a big chunk from his neck. He looked around the warehouse frantically for anyway to help and discovered the gun near his feet.

Remembering an easy way to get out of the wooden chair, that Steve had told him a suspect had used, and bit his lip knowing that the upcoming action was going to hurt like a bitch and make him sore for weeks. Using all of his force he pulled himself onto his feet teetering precariously and threw himself backwards onto the concrete, shattering the chair to bits and freeing himself of his restraints.

Gritting his teeth, Danny frantically reached for the fun and yelled “ **Get off of him now**!” marching forward he pushed the gun to the back of a head of black hair and watched as he stiffened, a low growl emanating from him.

Slowly Wo Fat stood up, quite aware of the fact that his brain was the one thing that couldn’t be healed by his spells. He turned keeping his hands above his head and stepping away from Steve, who was still laying on the ground, slightly in shock.

Danny, glanced quickly to make sure that he was okay, before turning back to Wo Fat. He can’t explain why he decided to unload four rounds into Wo Fat’s chest and head,maybe it was that he didn’t want to take anymore chances that what he and Steve had could be manipulated for his personal gain ever again, but damn did it feel good.

Wo Fat staggered back still standing, and stared at Danny a grin spreading across his face as his body disappeared in a wild blaze of fire.

Danny dropped the gun with a heavy thud and turned to Steve letting out a shaky breath “Cutting it a little close there Super Seal,” he reached out his arm pulling Steve off the floor as they both heard HPD sirens approaching.

Setting him up straight, Danny pulled back and sent a hard punch on Steve’s chest, as Steve caught his breath and gaped at him as he shouted “Don’t scare me like that! I almost had a heart attack! Why don’t you think before-”

Steve stepped forward pushing their lips together and both hands gripping the blonde’s face, and effectively shutting him up. Danny reacted immediately, moving his lips perfectly as the wind whirled around them, while Danny’s body felt like it was settling itself into their correct spots; Like the last three days they weren’t sure their residence was permanent.

Unfortunately, Steve broke the kiss with a pained gasp feeling the full effect of the five stab wounds in his shoulder, the burn wounds in his chest, and over all soreness of his body. Chin and Kono rushed through the bay doors, unsure of what exactly had happened because all of their thermal equipment showed a large blast of light and then nothing, all of their equipment went dead, and stopped relieved to see the two men alive and at least walking.

Danny chuckled and, grabbing Steve by the arm, lead him out of the abandoned warehouse “Come on, you big goof, let’s get you patched up,”Steve turned to look at Danny as he paused “Then we can explore the whole kissing thing at home,”

 **  
** At Chin and Kono’s look of disgust and groans of too much information had Steve and Danny letting out a heart filled laugh and, exchanging a quick kiss that promised more later, before stepping into the hot Hawaiian sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here it is! I can't believe it's done! Took me about 8 months to write and only a week to post whoa! Well,I hope you liked it because it was an amazing experience to complete this huge thing and I hope it brings you as much happiness as it has me!  
> It would mean a lot if you could leave me comment and tell me what you think! Thanks a bunch for reading it means so much!!


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